A Tangled Web Pt. 4: Family Ties
by ordinaryguy2
Summary: Crossover including Battlestar Galactica, V - the series, Starman, and Quantum Leap as they try to overcome the Borg. Recent additions include Stargate and the Incredible Hulk!
1. Default Chapter

A Tangled Web Part 4: Family Ties  
By Charlie Nelson  
ordinaryguy2@Juno.com  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters written in this story. All major characters are owned by rich corporations and I am just borrowing them for this story. Also, I am not making any money by writing this story. I write this for the fun of it as well as to better my creative instinct and grammatical skills.  
  
Classification: Crossover  
I think I should explain that part of what I am trying to do with this story is to mix as many storylines together as possible and still make it interesting and true to the characters. The challenge to myself is to effectively blend some old sci-fi with some new sci-fi shows. At least some of those that I am familiar with.  
  
This story will include many crossovers starting with Doctor Who, Sliders and Star Trek. Star Trek, who will always be the main contributor in these stories. This part of my story will also star V - the series, Battlestar Galactica, Quantum Leap and Starman. If anyone is unfamiliar with any of these shows I recommend that they look them up on the Internet. It will help and the information is out there on them. Think of it as a learning experience.  
  
The recipient of this Borg invasion will be V - the series, along with Battlestar Galactica. For the V-series, I will be starting up right where the series left off at their cliffhanger ending when they stopped filming - Aargh! I will explain both the history and the cliffhanger ending of V - the series in my story. As for Battlestar Galactica, I will be using the original series cast just a few years after the show ended and bring them to Earth, which happens to be under attack.   
There will also be another crossover included on this world but I'm keeping it to myself for now.  
  
*****  
  
V - V started off as a TV movie in 1983. Aliens came down in a series of motherships and hovered over 31 of the largest cities of the world. Stating that they came in peace and were seeking minerals that were rare on their world, but abundant on Earth and very necessary to saving their own world. Earth accepted them with open arms especially after the Visitors said they would share their technology with the Human race. Unfortunately, their true motives were anything but beneficial. The Visitors claimed to have discovered that Earth's scientists had been keeping technological advances such as a cure from cancer from the main populous. They had even brainwashed a few scientists and key politicians to do and admit whatever they wanted. Sure enough a Resistance formed against the alien invaders and they were dedicated to exposing the aliens true nature, stopping the alien agenda, and getting them off the Earth.   
Note: It was at the end of this movie that Julie Parrish and the Resistance managed to send a message into space asking for help from any other species that could hear them.  
V: The Final Battle aired in 1984. The Resistance came up with a bio-toxin that was lethal to the Visitors but safe for Humans. After distributing it around the world, it was released everywhere and the Visitors were forced to flee. This became known as V-Day.  
V- the series starts with a return of the Visitors. It seems that the red dust toxin needs a climate that has extreme temperature changes in order to survive. This being the case, wide areas of the world are now habitable for the aliens again. To make matters worse, it is discovered that a second dose of the red dust toxin would be lethal to the Earth's environment. Earth is now a war zone. All references to where I continued with the story will have to be read in the story.  
  
Juliet Parrish: A young biomedical student who was overlooked when the Visitors began causing scientists around the world to disappear. She and some friends started a small Resistance group in L.A. and was soon surprised when everyone began to turn to her as the leader of their group. It was Julie who discovered the red dust bacteria that forced the Visitors to leave Earth and after their departure, Julie began doing scientific research at Science Frontiers. When the Visitors returned and Nathan Bates forced the aliens into a stalemate, she remained working at Science Frontiers in order to spy on the interactions between Nathan Bates and the Visitors. When her cover was finally blown, she rejoined the Resistance full time.   
  
Michael Donovan: A news cameraman who managed to get footage of the Visitors that exposed their true reptilian nature. Hunted by the Visitors, Mike joined the L.A. Resistance and soon proved to be a key player. He also had an on and off again relationship with Juliet Parraish.   
  
Philip: A high ranking officer sent to take charge of the Earth fleet during V: the series. He was also the twin brother of another high-ranking officer, Martin, who had served on Earth before him. At first Philip had not known that his brother had been one of the leaders in the Visitors Fifth Column, a secret group of Visitors that were trying to stop the Humans from being annihilated. It was Diana who had killed Martin, but she claimed that Mike Donavon had done it in the hope that Philip or Donavon would kill each other. Philip eventually saw through the ruse and secretly became friends with Donavon even as his brother had. He also secretly joined the Fifth Column in hopes of somehow finding a way that the two races could co-exist.  
  
Willie: A Visitor technician who has never fully gotten a grasp of the English language. The Resistance kidnapped him so that they would have a live specimen to study, however his genuine kindheartedness and sympathy soon had him accepted by most of the Humans in the Resistance and he soon was able to help them with their raids and other activities. When the red toxin was distributed into the atmosphere, Willie was given an antidote that he took regularly. After V-Day, Willie stayed on Earth and worked as a waiter at the Club Creole restaurant and became a vegetarian.   
  
Elizabeth: Diana had a young Visitor named Brian subjected to a series of experiments, then had him mate with a young Earth girl named Robin Maxwell, who was enamored with him. Shortly after birth, Elizabeth, also known as the 'Star Child,' began growing at an alarming rate until she looked like a ten year old girl within a short time after her birth. On V-Day, Elizabeth prevented a mothership's doomsday device from detonating by the use of her powers. A year later when the Visitors returned, Elizabeth began aging again, this time taking on the appearance of nineteen year old woman. While she should have the mind of a child, her racial memories have been helping her to mature mentally. Somehow none of this has kept her from getting Kyle Bates as a boyfriend. She has demonstrated the abilities of animal control, some premonition, and telekinesis.  
  
Kyle Bates: Kyle first met members of the Resistance in a Visitor work camp. After escaping, he again ran into Resistance members at the Club Creole restaurant where he also ran into Elizabeth. Despite his relationship with Nathan Bates and his rebellious attitude he soon became part of the Resistance. He also became romantically involved with Elizabeth.  
  
Ham Tyler: An agent of a secret U.S. task force, Tyler helped to set up communication lines and distribute arms between Resistance groups throughout the United States. When the L.A. Resistance began to prove their initiative by effectively taking on bigger battles against the Visitors, Ham and Chris Faber went to give them support and guidance. About a year after V-Day, Tyler was hired by Nathan Bates to kidnap Diana before she was to be executed for crimes against humanity. Bates wanted to force Diana to show him how the alien technology that had been left behind worked, while Tyler only agreed as long as when Bates was through with her, Tyler could kill her personally. During the kidnapping, Diana managed to free herself and was saved by the returning Visitor fleets. The Earth being at war once again, Ham Tyler again joined the Resistance. After many battles and a time of being mind-controlled, Tyler decided to leave L.A. for a while and agreed to take Robin Maxwell to Chicago where the red dust toxin still kept the Visitors away.  
Note: I hope to bring Ham into the story later, which is why I am mentioning him now.  
  
Diana: Diana was a former lover of the Leader, who had decided that Diana was to ambitious and dangerous to keep nearby, so he sent her as the Chief Scientist and one of the main delegates to Earth. On Earth Diana involved herself in various power plays with those above her. She also involved herself with the brainwashing of various Earth politicians and scientists. One of her many bizarre experiments had to do with cross breeding a Human with a Visitor, which resulted in the conception of the 'Star Child', Elizabeth. When the Visitors were fleeing the red toxin on Earth, Diana had the 'Doomsday Device' on her ship set to blow up the Earth. Fortunately, the Resistance saved the day and Diana was apprehended. For a year she was imprisoned and set on trial for her crimes against humanity. Shortly before her scheduled execution, she was freed by the efforts of Nathan Bates and managed to be rescued by the return of her people. Diana once again found herself with power and in power plays with those around her.  
  
Lt. James: A specialist in covert operations, Lt. James became Diana's right hand man in her attacks against the Resistance.  
  
Lydia: When the Visitors returned to Earth, Lydia came as the Fleet Security Officer in charge of the Fleet. However, once Diana set foot on board the mothership she took command and made Lydia her second in command. Fortunately for Earth, Diana and Lydia became instant enemies and spent a great deal of their time and energy trying to kill each other.  
  
Thelma: On the very last episode of the series, when a few key Resistance leaders were being shown around a mothership during a sudden truce, Willie ran into an old girlfriend. Thelma, also a technician, had thought Willie had been dead for years but was overjoyed to see him because they had been pledged to be marriage even before they had been hatched. When he got a chance, Willie had explained to her that he couldn't go back with her and that Earth was his home now. She took that hard, feeling as though she had been rejected, but later she came to him and decided that she would make her life on Earth, too, if it meant she could be with him.  
  
The Supreme Leader: The leader has never been seen in either of the two TV movies or the series; I am actually debuting him in my story. Little is known of the Leader and how he took control of his home planet, Sirius IV, but he is loved by his people. When the water and food shortages became too hard for his planet's population to bear, he sent ships out in search of other planets. They came across a few planets similar to theirs in resources of food and water. Developing large ship that could be used for battle and haul large amounts of cargo, the Visitors returned to these worlds and conquered them. Once defeated, the Visitors took the water and other usable minerals with them. They also took whatever they could use for food, including the sentient species of those planets. Still the demands of Sirius IV's people could not be met. Finding Earth and its vast water resources seemed like the only thing that might save the depleted world of Sirius IV. But even as the Visitors launched their second invasion of Earth, Sirius IV had already become an irreversible wasteland. While waiting on his home world, the Supreme Leader received many reports from Philip insisting that Humans and Visitors could co-exist together. When Philip mentioned the 'Star Child' and her abilities, the Leader's interests led him to come to Earth and check on matters himself.  
  
Battlestar Galactica - In another galaxy far, far away the twelve colonies of Man took steps to end a 1000-year war with a robot race called the Cylons. The Cylons used that moment to attack the twelve home worlds, forcing the Humans to flee in whatever space-worthy vessels were available. Forming a caravan of over two hundred and twenty ships, the twelve tribes of Man fled their pursuing enemies deep into unexplored space. Hoping to find another habitual world, allies, or maybe both in the form of the mythical 'lost' thirteenth colony known as Earth, they continue their search of space.   
  
Time units of the colonists.  
micron(s) - second   
centon (sen'-tawn) - minute   
centar, centares (sen'-tar, sen-tar'-ays) - hour   
secton(s) (sek'-tawn) - week   
sectar, sectares (sek'-tar, sek-tar'-ays) - month   
yahren (yah'-rain) - year   
millenium - 1000 years  
  
Quantum Leap - Sam Beckett built his time machine based on his theories of quantum physics. When he finally tried the device on himself, he vanished and woke up in another person's body in the past. His friend, Admiral Al Calavicci, used another device to tap into Sam's brainwaves so that they could see holographic images of each other. Ziggy, the AI computer that Sam had created, theorized that if Sam were to historically change something in a particular person's life for the better that Sam would 'leap' back home. However, each leap seems to just take Sam to another person's life that needs helping. Sam, a staunch Boy Scout, was more than willing to take up the task before him and with the advice from the future provided by Al and Ziggy he is usually up to the challenge.  
  
Starman - In 1984 a movie came out about an alien crashing to Earth. Not having a body that could survive in Earth's atmosphere, the alien cloned the cells the cells of a dead man's hair clipping to create a body that would last him longer. The dead man's wife, Jenny, was shocked at sudden return of her late husband and even more so by the alien inhabiting his body. Federal agents chased the two across America as the 'starman' tried to get to a location where the aliens could retrieve the stranded alien. Along the way, the 'starman' impregnated the woman with a child as a gift to her. In 1986, a series based on the movie started. The alien returned to Earth after finding a means to make it safe for him to stay indefinitely in human atmosphere. Taking on the body of Paul Forrester, a freelance photographer that had died in a helicopter crash, the 'starman' went in search of his human lover and their son. He was united with his son, Scott, in an orphanage, but it took some effort to convince Scott of his extraterrestrial origins. As they went in search of Jenny, who was hiding from federal agents, Paul taught Scott how to use his powers by focusing through the metallic marbles that Paul had. Toward the end of the series they were reunited with Jenny, but were soon being chased by George Fox and other federal agents again.  
  
*****  
  
I will try to make everything as clear and interesting as possible. Please send e-mail with advice on how to better my writing style and story. I do not claim to be a great writer, but with good and thorough critiquing I can become a better one.  
  
Sidenote: Love the reviews. Keep them coming.   
  
Warning: There will be some character deaths.   
  
Special thanks to Jen for proofreading for me. I am indebted.  
  
  
A Tangled Web Part 4: Family Ties  
By Charlie Nelson  
ordinaryguy2@Juno.com  
  
Summary: What came before. The sliders were traveling between worlds and bumped into the Doctor's TARDIS, thus getting bounced into the 24th century of the Star Trek universe where the Borg got a hold of the Sliding technology thanks to interference from Q. Now the Borg are in orbit around the Earth's sun sending drones out into the multiverse, spreading themselves around to take over new frontiers. Meanwhile, Q was forced by the Q Continuum to fix the problem by recruiting others to stop the spread of the Borg for him. Two universes have been cleansed of the infestation and this is the third. So sit right back and read the tale.  
  
Deep Space Nine, currently orbiting Earth  
Sickbay  
Deanna silently slipped into the room, but still all heads turned toward her.  
  
"Everything all right, Counselor?" asked Captain Picard.  
  
Deanna Troi blushed. "Yes. Worf just wanted someone of flesh and blood to examine his son instead of a hologram." She saw a number of people in the room wince at the imagined sight of the belligerent Klingon and the outraged holographic doctor from Voyager arguing with each other.   
  
"And...?" asked Captain Picard.  
  
Deanna shrugged her shoulders. "My mother worked it out. Voyager's doctor has agreed to treat her and Mr. Homm while Beverly is looking after Alexander." Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "I think mother likes him!"  
  
Jean-Luc's eyes widened in surprise. "The hologram?"  
  
"I had a look at it's programming," commented Geordi La Forge. "It's become pretty sophisticated since its startup."  
  
"Sentient?" asked the captain. His mind immediately returned to the troubles he and his crew had encountered when a holodeck version of Professor Moriarty not only became alive, but also tried to take over the ship.  
  
"I don't think the medical program will be a problem," commented Odo, who was also the head of security for Deep Space Nine. "From studying the program's detailed history aboard Voyager, I think it is safe to say that he is on our side."  
  
Picard nodded. "Times are changing. First sentient androids, now sentient holograms."  
  
"You have a holographic doctor?" interrupted the figure lying in the bed.  
  
Everybody's attention turned to the patient lying down in the middle of the room. The closest to him were Dr. Julian Bashir and the patient's friend, Rembrandt Brown. Dr. Bashir began to scan him again while Rembrandt talked to his friend.  
  
"Hey, Q-ball. How are you feeling?"  
  
Quinn tried to sit up; it didn't happen. He tried to reach up to touch the ache in his forehead and that didn't happen either. He looked at his friend with fear. "I can't move," he whispered fearfully.  
  
Rembrandt smiled. "It's alright. They have restraints on you." He didn't add that the restraints holding him down were actually an invisible energy field. Knowing Quinn, he'd probably want to have them explain the technology behind it.  
  
Quinn relaxed at his friend's explanation. "Head hurts," complained Quinn. Even though most of the wound on the man's temple had been repaired thanks to the surgical expertise of Dr. Bashir and Dr. Crusher, there was still a light purple mark where the injury had been.  
  
"I don't doubt it. You gave us a good scare there, pal." The former singer gave his friend a big grin.  
  
Quinn closed his eyes to keep the room from spinning round and round. "Where th'others?" he mumbled.  
  
Rembrandt bit his tongue for a second and took a quick look at the Starfleet personnel in the room before returning his gaze on his wounded friend. "Ah, well, a lot of things have been happening while you've been out of it."  
  
Quinn risked opening one eye to look at Rembrandt's face. "Where-"  
  
"Long story, Q-ball. But these people are already doing what they can to find them." He leaned in closer to his friend. "Trust me, right now the best thing you can do is let yourself heal. I'm all over any information these guys can get that could lead to our friends."  
  
Quinn swallowed, his one open eye was now tracking the instrument that Dr. Bashir was slowly waving over him. "You trust them?"  
  
"Yeah. And they have a stake in the whole mess this has become, too. But I'll tell you about that later when-" He stopped. Quinn was already asleep again.   
  
Julian put a comforting hand on Rembrandt's shoulder. "I'm afraid he will be sleeping for hours. Recovering from his head trauma has exhausted him."  
  
"But he'll be alright?" asked Rembrandt.  
  
"I believe so, yes. The nanoprobes that Seven of Nine administered are restoring the last of the damaged synapses. We won't know until he wakens and can talk to him if there will be any lasting effects."  
  
"'Lasting effects?'"  
  
"Possibly loss of some of his motor control or maybe memory loss."  
  
Rembrandt shuddered and stole a quick glance at his unconscious friend. "But no signs of anything like that right now though, right?" Julian nodded. "Good. Quinn's a man that likes to use his brain. I don't know how he would cope with not being able to think clearly." He reached down to take his friend's hand but found that the restraining field wouldn't let him.  
  
"In the meanwhile, perhaps you could answer some of our questions."  
  
Rembrandt looked up at the bald captain and nodded. "Sure. Don't know much of the techno specifics, though."  
  
Captain Picard smiled. "Right now it is your experience in which I am interested." The captain slowly walked to the other side of the bio-bed while he looking at some of the readings Dr. Bashir was checking on. "The last away team had a rather unusual encounter there."  
  
"Yeah. Amazons and Greek gods. I know. I saw on the view screens down in the bar."  
  
Picard gave him an intense look. "That wasn't what I was referring to. I meant the similarities found between the ones called Joxer and Tim O'Neill. Then there is also the similarity between the man known as 'Howling Mad' Murdock and one of the Starfleet officers on this station, a Lieutenant Barclay."  
  
Rembrandt shrugged. "Maybe they just looked a lot alike. There are so many parallel worlds that sooner or later there are bound to be people who look alike."  
  
Odo shook his head. "We did a scan. They were the same to the genetic level."  
  
"Well, we've sometimes run into doubles of ourselves when we slide to different Earths," commented Rembrandt.  
  
"But the doppelgangers that you met were all in the same time period, had the same names, and had similar lives as you," pointed out Picard. "The ones I refer to live in different time periods, have different names, and different personalities."  
  
Rembrandt just shrugged. "Sounds like a problem you should ask Quinn about. When he's better," he added.  
  
"Maybe we've all got copies of ourselves living different lives elsewhere," reflected Deanna.  
  
"All the world is a stage," Picard said in a very hushed tone to himself. Everyone heard though and gave it some thought.  
  
"I could see you as a Shakespearean actor," commented Deanna. She almost laughed at his surprised look. "Well, if duplicates of us could live lives very different than ours, then why couldn't one of yours be a Shakespearean actor?"  
  
He chuckled. "I have a hard time seeing myself as anything other than a captain of a ship."  
  
"Maybe on another world you're Captain Ahab," laughed Geordi. He had recently borrowed the book 'Moby Dick' from Picard's private collection.  
  
"Are you suggesting that I should use the same rugged discipline that Captain Ahab did?"  
  
Geordi hesitated. He felt the familiar tingle go down his spine whenever he wasn't sure if the captain was actually joking. "Uh, no sir!"  
  
Jean-Luc smiled. "Very well then. I say we leave Mr. Mallory so that he can get the rest he needs. Maybe he will have some answers when...Beverly, nice of you to join us."  
  
The redheaded doctor strolled through the door grinning from cheek to cheek. "You'll never guess what I just saw?"  
  
Deanna thought for a moment. "Hmm, could it be my mother flirting scandalously with Voyager's holographic doctor?"  
  
"No fair! You were only there for a moment! How could you know that?" demanded the doctor with mock anger.  
  
"Easy. It's my mother we're talking about. Got any other news?"  
  
"Well, Alexander will be fine. As long as his father doesn't mother hen him to death. Luckily the boy is unconscious for now. Oh, and looks like the two Qs are going to start picking teams again."  
  
Geordi sighed. "I suppose we should get down to the bar then."  
  
Odo shook his head. "Not me. I've already done my tour of duty."  
  
"Well, I should be there," replied Picard. "Just in case something needs to be dealt with."  
  
"You mean if someone has to deal with Q." Bashir just shook his head while they all started moving to the door. Bashir nodded to Rembrandt as they left him there with his resting friend.  
  
As they left the private room, they made their way through Sickbay. They could see Commander Riker sleeping on one of the bio-beds. On the bio-bed next to him lay Alexander, whose father was standing watch over his unconscious son. Picard nodded to Worf in passing and also at Counselor Troi's mother who did indeed seem very smitten with the holographic doctor treating her. At the entrance Picard noticed Dr. Bashir and Dr. Crusher lagging behind. "Are you two coming?"  
  
Beverly shook her head. "We're going to mind the store. More for us to do here. Besides, we figure if one of us is selected, Q will probably teleport us down to the bar the same way he did Naomi Wildman."  
  
"Very well. I'll tell you later what-"  
  
There was a flash and Dr. Beverly Crusher was gone.  
  
"No." It had happened right in front of him and there was nothing he could do. Or was there? He tapped his comm-link. "Picard here. I need a site-to-site transport now. Myself to the bar on Deep Space Nine."  
  
There was a brief moment of disorientation and then he was there in Quark's bar. Many of the seats had already been taken in spite of the early hour but those seated were not what he was focusing on.  
  
"Q!"  
  
Q stood there wearing an old twentieth century military uniform. "Ah, Jean-Luc. We've started the selections without you. Hope you don't mind. Essence of time and all that." Next to Q was Beverly Crusher, and next to her stood an angry B'Elanna Torres and a nervous Harry Kim from Voyager who had also been selected for the next trip.  
  
"I'm taking her place." The words were out there before he knew he had said them. He could see more than a few eyebrows raised at his announcement. There would also be speculation as to why he didn't offer himself to take the place of others of his crew that had already been chosen.  
  
For once Q looked genuinely in pain. "I'm afraid you can't do that. My choices are final."  
  
"Q-"  
  
"Besides," interrupted Q with a gentler tone, "those that are selected for earlier missions will be facing the Borg before they have had a chance to advance too far. It's safer for her to go now than later."  
  
"It's safer for her not to go at all!" bellowed Picard.  
  
"Jean-Luc." Beverly Crusher had not heard a man speak with such passion about her since her husband had passed away many years ago. "Jean-Luc," she started again. "It'll be alright." She put a hand on his shoulder. "And when I get back," she made sure to stress the 'when,' "we will have a long talk. With no holding back."  
  
Jean-Luc Picard stood there for a moment. He felt naked and vulnerable with everybody watching him. "A talk would be good," he managed to say.   
  
"So this is love?" asked Q2. "Seems conflicting and confusing to me. I find it vastly overrated."  
  
"I agree," responded Q.  
  
"And yet..." Q2 stood for a moment thinking, which for a Q could be a millennium. "He has had other love interests. Perhaps one of them will make this more interesting."  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Q. A flash next to him took the shape of a woman. "Oh...Vash. Um, hi."  
  
"Wha-" The woman spun around to get her bearings. "Jean-Luc, how did-Q! You bastard!" The female archeologist/tomb robber rushed up to Q while continuing to berate him.   
  
Q, for his part, dodged behind Jean-Luc Picard. "I didn't do it! He brought you here! Not me!"  
  
"Oh, and that makes everything else you've done to mess up my life alright then, huh? I don't think so!" In spite of herself she gave Q2 a glance. "Who is he anyway?"  
  
"Yes. I do think she makes things more interesting," Q2 said thoughtfully to himself.   
  
"Vash." Picard had to grab both of her arms so that she would stop trying to reach around him to grab Q. The last time he had seen Vash, Q had volunteered to take her on a trip around the universe. Later, he had heard that Q had dumped her in the Gamma Quadrant and that she had managed to return to the Alpha Quadrant by way of the wormhole near Bajor. "Vash, I think I should explain a few things to you."  
  
She stopped trying to hit Q for a moment and saw the serious look in Picard's eyes. "What kind of things?"  
  
"You're not going to like it."  
  
"Why am I not surprised." She looked over at the bar. "Tell me over a drink?"  
  
He nodded. "You're going to need it."  
  
*****  
  
The Battleship Galatica  
Space  
The battleship flew through the darkness of space followed by a couple of freighters and various other patchwork ships. Their voyage had been long and perilous. For seven years they had been traveling, sometimes even pursued, as they sought to find a new home world, and possibly even reunite with the legendary lost thirteenth tribe which is said to have populated a far away world called Earth.  
  
Commander Adama paced with his hands behind him as he walked in front of the room of seated pilots. "About twelve centares ago, we intercepted a message. A message asking for help against an alien invasion force attacking their world." He gave the pilots a hard look. "The message is about three yahrens old."  
  
A groan came from among the pilots.  
  
Adama's sharp eye turned to the offender. "Question, Lieutenant?"  
  
"Uh," Starbuck hated when his personality got him into trouble, but that's who he was. "Well, it's three yahrens old. The Cylons took over all twelve of our worlds in a few centares. How can we even be sure there is anybody to even rescue?"  
  
"A good point." Adama resumed his pacing while looking out into his audience. "However, the recording says that they have already lasted about a yahren against them. They may have lasted three more waiting for help."  
  
"But, sir," Lt. Boomer raised his hand. "Do you think it wise bringing the colony near a war zone?"  
  
"No. I do not," answered Commander Adama. "That is why we will be sending twelve Viper fighters to assess the situation, and then we will make a decision as to whether we can or shall help." He turned to look out a view port into the vastness of space.  
  
"What's the name of this world?" asked Captain Apollo.  
  
Commander Adama turned to them with tears flowing down his cheek. "Earth."  
  
*****  
  
1986  
Los Angeles  
A spiral of blue and white energy cut through the air of the alley. One by one, twenty Borg drones flew out and hit the hard pavement. Nineteen were able to get to their feet again. Seventeen drones headed for the alley entrance while two drones stopped to take vital parts off the twentieth drone that had died in the initial fall. When the two drones finished their salvage, they turned to join the others while the fallen drone disintegrated in a green glow behind them.  
  
As the two drones joined the others, they turned their sensors skyward in the same fashion as the seventeen that had preceded them. Hovering over the city above them was a saucer-shaped ship five miles wide.   
  
An objective had been selected and analyzed.  
  
"Hey, Theodore. Save the rat for later. We have to have the transport loaded and up to the mothership in less than an hour. Come on and help me with this. It's stuck."  
  
Nineteen heads turned as one to the female voice that had come from the other side of a large dumpster.  
  
"Lori, with you around it's a wonder I ever get time to eat anything."  
  
"Stop complaining and help pull this," complained Lori.  
  
"Hey, you got it really wedged in here. Jeff, give us a hand here."  
  
The drones came around the corner one after the other. Nine of the drones moved toward the three people in red uniforms and dark sunglasses that were struggling with a cart in the docking bay. The ten remaining drones focused on the transport vessel.   
  
"Hey, what- Watch out!" Lori drew her laser pistol and aimed it at the drones approaching her and her co-workers followed her example and did the same.  
  
"Halt!" called out Theodore.  
  
"Why aren't they stopping? Why do they look like that? It's horrible! I didn't even think even humans would do that to themselves!" Jeff rambled as his eyed the various prosthetic limbs on the drones.  
  
Theodore fired a shot killing a drone. Then another. Lori and Jeff began firing also but no more drones fell. The Borg had adapted. Two had fallen, but in the end the Borg had gained three new 'recruits' bringing their number up to twenty again. They also gained the transport vessel that would bring them up to the mothership.  
  
*****  
  
Parallel Earth  
1989  
Roswell, New Mexico  
"Paul! Scott!" Jenny Hayden ran into the house calling to her family. She ran as if the hounds of hell were after her. They weren't. But it was somebody who was almost as determined.  
  
They had been here in Roswell, New Mexico almost six months. She had laughed at the idea of coming here but Paul had pointed out that that was the very reason to do so. She had become a receptionist for the local paper and had loved it in spite of her squeaky chair and the terrible coffee the editor insisted on. Paul had taken a job in landscaping and six months later was sought after by every homeowner in the area for the 'miraculous' green thumb of his. He had even taken an interest in working with some children in the area whom he said were gifted. They seemed to be very fond of him yet for some reason they were alsways shy around Jenny*. Their son, Scott, was enjoying the summer break from school and had gotten a girlfriend that he was just sure would be 'the One' for him.  
(*Author's note: the kids referred to were the kids that would grow up to be on the show 'Roswell'. My reason for this, someone had to train the kids in their powers and it would make for an interesting crossover reference.)  
  
Now that was all to change.  
  
"Paul!"  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Scott! Oh, thank God!" She rapped him in a bear hug. "Where's your father?"  
  
"Mom! You won't believe it! One minute there is just an empty space. Then there is this grating noise. Then - you won't believe this!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"There was a telephone booth!"  
  
"What? Scott, I-"  
  
"An old British phone booth! And you wouldn't believe the guy and girl that travel around in it!"  
  
Jenny shook her head to try bringing some sense to what she was hearing. It didn't work. "Scott." She took him by booth shoulders and let him look in her eyes. When he saw the fear in her eyes he stopped babbling. "Where is your father?"  
  
"In the study. With the Doctor and the huntress lady. Mom, what's wrong?"  
  
"I saw George Fox on my way home."  
  
The blood left his face and his jaw dropped. "No. We- We have a life here. I like it here." He sat down on an old couch they had bought. He looked up at his mother in anguish. "Are you sure?" She nodded. "I got to go talk to Debbie. Explain that-"  
  
"No. I saw Fox outside the police station. I don't know if he was going in or coming out so we have to go now."  
  
"But, mom. Debbie and I-" He never did get to explain his side of things as a number of vehicles pulled into the driveway. Jenny could see out the bay window that George Fox, the FSA man that had been hunting them for the past couple of years, was leading the men with him. The mother and son ceased talking and ran to make their escape.  
  
George Fox rushed through the door with his gun drawn, looking for signs of any activity. Behind him came the sheriff of Roswell. The sheriff didn't seem to like him much but Fox was used to things like that and didn't care as long as the sheriff did what Fox told him to do.  
  
"Hey, you may be in charge here but you just can't charge into peoples homes! And besides, you didn't even give my deputy a chance to cover the back." said Sheriff Valenti. Valenti was rather miffed about this FSA man. Coming to him with this story of national security and needing to apprehend the man that does his lawn every week. The whole thing was crazy. And this FSA man comes to him saying he had been chasing him for years. And then the man just charges into the house not waiting for backup. "At least give me a decent chance to cover you. What if he has a gun?"  
  
"He doesn't like guns," snapped Fox. "He would never allow one in his home."  
  
"What? You're charging in here like Dirty Harry to arrest a pacifist?!?"  
  
"An alien pacifist," Fox responded as he searched room to room.  
  
"Huh, and here I thought he was a born and bred American. Doesn't even have an accent."  
  
Fox turned his head to give him a look. "You're thinking of the wrong kind of 'alien'."  
  
"What other kind-You don't mean...?"  
  
Fox heard something down the hall and took off towards it. Sheriff Valenti followed a moment after, wondering if the dangerous man he should be looking out for might be the very one who brought him here.  
  
It was later when he was writing his report on the incident that he chose to leave out certain details. For instance, when he got to the door at the end of the hall, he didn't see the FSA run into an old phone box that was in the middle of the room. He also didn't see that same telephone box fade into nothingness. The sheriff had no idea what had happened or where George Fox had gone but he was certain that if he added the story about him disappearing like that it still wouldn't help anyone find him. Besides, Valenti had his career to think about.  
  
*****  
  
Someplace outside of time  
Sam Beckett drifted in the blue static haze that seemed to surround him. He had just completed his latest leap in which he fowled up a counterfeiting frame of the Duke boys and prevented the accidental death of Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrain. All of which he had had to accomplish while in the body of the sheriff's dog, Flash. If Sam never saw another bowl of dog food again, it would be too soon.  
  
"Funny," Sam said to himself as he studied the energy field around him. He noted to himself that he had on the same white outfit that he had worn the day he had stepped into the quantum accelerator. "I should have leaped into another body by now."  
  
"Sam?"  
  
Sam turned at the sound of the voice and was surprised to see another person covered by the same blue static that covered him. Even the blue energy in the air couldn't protect him from the sight of the bright Hawaiian shirt the admiral was wearing. "Al? How'd you get here? Is this a new attempt to bring me home?"  
  
Admiral Al Calavicci stared in awe around him. "Will you look at this place? Where are we, Sam?"  
  
"Didn't you bring me here?"  
  
"No. The last thing I remember was watching you take a bite out of crime as you chomped on to Boss Hogg's backside so he couldn't hide the counterfeiting evidence Enos found from those feds that were taking the Duke boys away." He shook his head while chuckling. "And I'll never forget how funny you looked when you drove that car after the Boss Hogg's henchmen while as a dog."  
  
"Mind focusing on our present problem and stop living in the past." Sam bit his lip as soon as he had said it. His problem for the past couple of years had been that he literally lived in the past. Other peoples pasts. And for some reason or other he had to change those pasts for the better.  
  
"Sorry, Sam. Where are we anyway?"  
  
"I've only caught brief glimpses of it before but it's where I go when I travel through time. At least I think it is."  
  
"It is."  
  
Both Al and Sam took a step back as a figure appeared in front of them. Unlike them, this figure didn't have the blue static covering him. He was dressed in a red and black spandex outfit that may have been a uniform of some kind. "And who are you?" asked Al.  
  
"I am Q," answered Q as if that should explain everything.  
  
"And is the rest of the alphabet going to be coming along anytime soon?" Al responded snidely.  
  
"Al, I don't think we should annoy him." He looked over the man in front of him. "Are you the one that controls my leaps?"  
  
Q looked rather uncomfortable. "No."  
  
"Then why are we here?"  
  
"Ah, just the question I wanted to hear. I believe I shall simplify my answer by making it a question. I've brought you both here because I have a proposition for you. How would you like to help save the world?"  
  
*****  
  
1986  
Los Angeles  
Beverly looked over various headlines as she sorted through the stacks of newspapers and pulled out the ones that made reference to the current problems that this Earth seemed to be experiencing for more extensive research later.  
  
"This seems pointless. I thought we just had to eliminate a few Borg drones."  
  
Beverly took a deep breath to maintain her inner calm before answering. They had broken up into three teams. B'Elanna Torres and Harry Kim were searching for signs of the Borg and any other people in the streets of what seemed to be a deserted Los Angeles. Major Kira Nerys was on the library roof getting some readings of the massive spaceship hovering over the city while also watching over Kai Wynn, one of her peoples' religious leaders. Meanwhile, Beverly got stuck with Vash as her partner. "We need to know what the situation is here."  
  
"Sorting through paper data isn't going to help us," sneered Vash and took another bite out of her Milky Way bar that she had taken from a vending machine she had broken into.  
  
"Oh, and perhaps you can tell us why the streets of a major city are deserted and why a five mile wide vessel is just floating above the city?"  
  
"What does that have to do with the Borg? That is our objective, isn't it?"  
  
"Vash, the Borg would focus on two things on arrival here. One, bodies that they can use to reproduce more drones and two, the technology they can use to make them strong here. Since this city doesn't seem to have many people, the Borg may look for people in the ship above us. Also, that ship represents a greater source of technology than anything I've seen down here."  
  
"Well, if you are sure it's the ship then why don't we just go up there and tell them they might have a pest problem?"  
  
Beverly sighed. "You haven't had any Starfleet training, have you? I didn't think so. We need to know who these people are before we try to contact them. For all we know, they could be an enemy of this Earth."  
  
Vash wrinkled her nose. "I'm used to finding out about a culture by digging around old ruins, not sifting through papers." In spite of her dislike, she sorted through a few of the papers Beverly had pulled. "Well, this say it's this Earth's first known direct contact with another world and that one day fifty ships came down and hovered over fifty major cities on this world. When contact was actually made by a alien called Supreme Commander John, he said that they had come to establish friendly relations and share their technology."  
  
"They would just give their technology away? That doesn't sound right. And what about the cultural problems that would cause? These aliens don't seem to be considering what their actions would do to the people here."  
  
"Relax, Starfleet. They list a reason here. It seems that their planet was dying and needed certain compounds that Earth had in abundance. That was why they were willing to share their technology."  
  
"Doesn't explain why there are no people around. Keep reading."  
  
"Aye, aye, Starfleet." Vash paged through a few papers trying to get a grasp of what they told without reading the all of them. "Some of these papers seem to give conflicting reports about these aliens - the papers are calling them 'Visitors'. A couple of the earlier papers suggest that the aliens uncovered an old plot by a majority of Earth's scientists in keeping certain discoveries from the general public. Discoveries like a cure for cancer. Seemed to make Earth's scientists very unpopular. Let's see, there also seems to be a resistance movement to these 'Visitors'. They claim that the aliens are not really human-like, as they appear, but are reptilian and are just wearing a human covering to make it easier to fool Earth into friendship. Oh, and it says here that the real reason the aliens came was to take this world's water supply and...and the animals and people for food." Vash shook her head. "Sounds like quite a messed up world that Q dropped us off on."  
  
"It's been a long time since Starfleet has had to deal with the sentients of one world using the sentients of another world as a food source." Beverly shivered at the thought.  
  
"It would explain where all the people have gone," pointed out Vash.  
  
Beverly was aghast. "I hadn't thought of that!"  
  
"Hmm. This paper comes at a later date and has an overview of things regarding the aliens. Seems the scientists found a bacteria to which the Visitors had no resistance. They made the whole planet poisonous to them and the reptiles turned tail and left."   
  
Crusher looked up from her sorting. "That doesn't explain why they seem to be flying overhead right now, does it?"  
  
"That's because the Visitor's home world, Sirius IV, was evidently in worse shape than they had originally said. Turns out they damaged the environment too badly to repair and that this is the only other known habitable star system that they could reach that could sustain a vast majority of them."  
  
"But you said that this planet was made toxic to them," commented Beverly. "Did they find a cure?"  
  
"Mmm, No. But the humans did come up with one for the Visitors that helped them. Says they were called the 'Fifth Column'." Vash eyes scanned over the paper in front of her trying to just read the parts that seemed relevant to her. "They give some medical babble here about different things but basically it turns out that the bacteria that the rebels put into the atmosphere could only live in areas where there were severe climate changes between summer and winter. All other areas became free of the toxin after a few months."  
  
"So why didn't they put more of the toxin in the air over those areas?"  
  
"Take it easy. I'm getting to it." Her eyes caught something in the paper she was reading. "Okay, according to this any more of the toxin released into the atmosphere will be too much for the ecosystem. It would kill all life on Earth."  
  
"What?" The human side of her was horrified, but the doctor side of her had her taking out her medical tricorder and analyzing the air around her and the condition of her and Vash. "Don't they test these things before they let them lose on the world?"  
  
"They probably did, but look at what they had to work with. With this type of technology, I'm surprised that they were even able to discover that a second dose would kill everyone."  
  
Feeling safer, Beverly put down her tricorder. "Well, at least I'm not finding anything toxic right now. Course I don't know what exactly it is that I am looking for. Hopefully, before we leave I can get a sample to study."  
  
"Whatever." She held up a newspaper with the picture of a man on the cover. "Now here is a daring man. I'd like to see him go against some Ferengi in a Dabo game. According to this, when the Visitors returned, this man, Nathan Bates, head of Science Frontiers, made this city a 'free city'. A city where Visitors and humans could live together with no violence. And this was while the rest of the non-toxic part of the world was being invaded by the Visitors."  
  
Beverly ran out of papers to sort through, so she sat back for a moment to catch her breath. "A 'free city'? Like Casablanca? How did he manage that? Los Angeles is in the non-toxic zone you mentioned."  
  
"Seems his company was in charge of the red-toxin production. He set it up so that if Los Angeles were ever attacked a bomb would go off spreading the toxin everywhere."  
  
"But-but that would kill everyone. Humans included."  
  
"That's the point. The Visitors didn't dare call his bluff. At least for a number of months."  
  
"But then why are the streets empty?"  
  
"Because that was all it was. A bluff. Norman Bates died somehow and the Visitors just took over."  
  
"So all those the people living here peacefully suddenly found themselves defenseless," the doctor shook her head. "It's like a bad holo-novel."  
  
"Well, at least they weren't completely defenseless. Many of these papers mention a group they call the Resistance, which seem to have been fighting the Visitors even while the city was being occupied."  
  
"Hurray for the Resistance," commented a returning Major Kira Nerys. Following her was a sullen Kai Wynn. Both women had lived through many years of occupation by the Cardassians on their planet and both were beginning to relive some of those memories. "Got the data on that monstrous ship above us. I take it you found some things out here?"  
  
Dr. Crusher nodded.  
  
"Good. We saw Torres and Kim coming back this way just before we came down off the roof. They should be here in a few minutes and then we can share our information."  
  
"Sounds good," agreed Beverly. "Meanwhile, if you are hungry, Vash found some food over there. They are called candy bars. I think you'll like them."  
  
*****   
  
TARDIS  
Outside of space and time  
George Fox was not having a good day. He had finally tracked down his quarry only to end up being abducted himself. "You won't get away with this!"  
  
The Doctor had had more than enough. "Oh, grow up! You are the one who came charging onto my TARDIS uninvited so it's your own fault that you are stuck here."  
  
"Not so fun when the shoe is on the other foot, is it, Mr. Fox?" Scott had been mocking the FSA agent ever since he found out that his gun wouldn't function inside the TARDIS.  
  
"Scott," Paul put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Please don't antagonize him."  
  
"'Kay." Scott loved his dad, but sometimes he was just too much of a pacifist for Scott's taste.  
  
"What are you going to do with me?" The FSA man was not liking this turn of events at all. His gun wasn't working and the leather-clad woman had kept him from physically overpowering them. Worst of all was when he tried to go back out the way he had come in only to find that he was locked inside with those he was unable to capture.  
  
"Maybe we'll do the same thing to you that you had planned for us," answered Scott with a smile. He grinned even wider when he saw the fear in the agent's eyes.  
  
"Scott!" Paul Forrester turned to the man that had hunted him ever since he had returned to Earth. "Mr. Fox, I can assure you that we would never do anything like that."  
  
"Like what?" asked the Doctor. Having finished making his adjustments to the controls of the TARDIS, he thought he would take some time to familiarize himself with his new companions.  
  
"Oh, vivisection at first. Dissection later for sure," commented Scott candidly.  
  
"Scott! You're making matters worse."  
  
Scott, with his father's words stinging in his ears, went to go sulk in a corner.   
  
The Doctor shook his head. "You see, landing in the Americas was your mistake. You should have landed in a more civilized country like England. I've had many encounters with the political and military leaders there and they were usually quite reasonable even after seeing me through a couple of regenerations. There was rarely any of that 'Let's cut him up because he has two hearts' thing." He saw the various looks everyone was giving him and decided he should lighten the mood a little. Sifting through his pockets, he pulled out a bag. "Jelly baby, anyone?"  
  
Scott shook his head, George looked at the Doctor like he was crazy, while Paul took two and popped them in his mouth. He seemed to give a great deal of thought to the tastes he was experiencing, an attitude of which the Doctor approved.  
  
"Why are you here?" asked George. They hadn't attacked or harmed him so he figured he might as well try to get some answers.  
  
"Because this is my TARDIS," answered the Doctor. "But I don't think that is entirely what you meant." He noticed Leela and Jenny wheeling in a tray. "Ah, tea. And some hot chocolate for you Americans. I try to be courteous." Leela laughed. A frown from the Doctor helped her to stifle her laughter. "Now why don't we all sit down for tea and hot chocolate and we'll discuss what we are up against?"  
  
Before they could discuss anything, alarms went off and the Doctor rushed over to the controls, pushing Paul out of his way.  
  
"Excuse me!"  
  
The others came to crowd around the console but Leela quickly pushed them all back. The Doctor had warned her long ago of the dangers of pulling the wrong lever at the right time.  
  
"Are we there, Doctor?" asked Paul.  
  
"There?" asked the FSA man. "What do you mean there? You mean this room you've got stuffed in a telephone booth is actually traveling somewhere?"  
  
"Paul?"   
  
The fear in Jenny's face was more than transparent to Paul. Her expression spoke volumes. "It's okay." Reaching out, he took her hand and pulled her into a tight hug. "I trust this man. He is good. But he needs help fixing something that has gone very wrong. And once we help him he says he will help us with our problem."  
  
She looked over at George Fox, a man that she had been running from for years and was now listening to what she and Paul were saying to each other. "I just want to not live in fear anymore. I don't want to be looking over my shoulder all the time because someone won't let me just live in peace with my family."  
  
George Fox bit his lip. He knew what he was doing was for national security. And that mattered to him more than anything else, including proving himself to all his colleagues that had been mocking him for years for chasing 'little green men' or his own personal 'starman.' His government, no, the military leaders of the world needed to know that these beings existed and what they are capable of. How else could the people of Earth protect themselves if they didn't know what to defend themselves from?  
  
"My word!"  
  
"What is it, Doctor?" asked Leela.  
  
"A massive ship five miles in diameter is hovering over one of the United States's major cities. The energy level for that sort of thing must be enormous unless they found a large amount of rare components to make one of those anti-gravity alloy metals."  
  
Scott whistled. "So is that where we are going?"  
  
"There seems to be a smaller vessel leaving the large one." He looked at a monitor then hit it and checked it again. "There's a bomb on board the small craft! People, too!" He pulled a lever, then began rearranging his scarf.  
  
"Leela. K-9. We're taking on passengers." The Doctor hurried to the door that Fox hadn't been able to exit through earlier. Bouncing on the heels of his feet, the Doctor waited for the TARDIS to fully materialize. "We must be quick. That bomb will go off very shortly. So no lollygaging. The rest of you wait here." Pulling the door open, the Doctor, Leela and K-9 quickly exited, but not before George Fox was able to follow.  
  
The Doctor rushed from the TARDIS through the small cargo chamber it had appeared inside of. Upon opening the door into the main area, the first thing he saw was a muscular reptilian humanoid dressed in a purple vest and pants standing over a young human man who was obviously in deep anguish. Off to the side stood a young blonde woman wearing a silk gown and a far-off look in her eyes.  
  
Looking up, the lizard-like alien hissed in anger at the sight of the Doctor. "More stowaways! How dare you--"  
  
"There's a bomb on board! Set to go off at any time now. Come with me if you wish to live." Having said his part, he grabbed for the young woman's hand and began pulling her back the way he had come.  
  
Suddenly he was whirled around, and two large, scaly hands began to choke him through the many layers of his scarf. Leela leaped at the Doctor's attacker, but he just looked at her and she went flying into the wall and remained hanging there by an unseen force.  
  
A beam of light came out of K-9's nose and green alien fell down hard onto the metal floor.  
  
The blonde woman started, as if waking from a dream. Seeing the young man on the floor, she hurried over to help him up. "Kyle!"  
  
The young man groaned as he regained his feet. "I told everyone that that guy was messing with your mind. But would they listen to me? No."  
  
The woman ignored him and instead focused her attention on the newcomers. "I believe someone said something about a bomb?"  
  
"That would be I," answered the Doctor as he rubbed his throat. "Good boy, K-9." Noticing George Fox in the doorway gaping, he called over to him. "There's no more time to look for anyone else aboard. Mr. Fox, if you would be so good as to help Leela with dragging that rude, unconscious individual to the TARDIS. I think it would be better for all of us if we were to leave here immediately."  
  
*****  
  
Shuttle bay on the Visitors' Mothership  
People of all ranks rushed to the view ports to see aftermath of the explosion. Gasps of shock and horror were heard everywhere. Some even collapsed to their knees and began weeping in despair.   
  
Mike Donovan and Julie Parriah, the only humans in the shuttle bay, took a step closer to their friend and secret contact to the Visitors' Fifth Column, Philip. Horror caused her voice to shake. "Oh Mike! Elizabeth was on--on that shuttle! And Kyle--if he snuck aboard--oh God!"  
  
Mike nodded and took hold of her hand. "I know."   
  
Just forty-eight hours before, they had been trading blaster fire with Lt. James and his troops. Just when it looked like the humans were going to lose, a cease-fire was declared. Shortly thereafter, when they had returned to their hidden headquarters, Elizabeth began showing signs of being in telepathic communication with someone. Willie, a Visitor who had been a part of the Resistance for years, revealed the fact that the Visitors' leader, known as the Leader, had great mental powers and could contact a persons mind no matter where they were and that the mind communicating with Elizabeth must be the Leader's. Philip arrived soon afterwards and confirmed Willie's theory and also told them that the Leader had come to personally end the hostilities between the interstellar species. Philip explained that he had been in constant contact with their leader, trying to convince him that the two races could co-exist and benefit each other.   
  
At Philip's insistence, Mike, Julie, Willie, Kyle and Elizabeth returned to the mothership in Philip's shuttlecraft. To ease the tension of the situation, Philip gave them a tour of the massive ship while they waited for the Leader's arrival. True to form, Diana had set up an elaborate 'accident' for Mike but failed. Seeing all her plans failing, she tried another assassination plot, this time she accused the humans of an attempt on the Leader's life. This, too, failed and with her plot exposed, she attempted to kill everybody on the ship and on Earth by having the infusion reactors of the mothership reach critical mass. Through the combined efforts of the Resistance leaders and the Visitors, they were able to overcome Diana and her forces.  
  
Diana and her subordinate, Lt. James, had a ringside seat waiting for the Leader. Lydia made sure they were right on hand in case the Leader asked for the ones responsible for the attack on his shuttle. However, the two conspirators weren't even asked about. The Leader's shuttle landed and Elizabeth was asked to come aboard. Kyle had had a real problem with insisting that she was under the Leader's influence, but Julie and Mike pointed out that this might be the only way that the two worlds could come together in peace. As soon as Elizabeth boarded the shuttle, it took off. A few minutes later an explosion rocked the mothership as the shuttlecraft exploded.  
  
"The Humans! The Humans have killed the Leader!"  
  
Heads turned one by one from all over the shuttle bay to where Diana was bound with James.  
  
Philip scowled at the conniving woman. "Guards! Take her away!"  
  
"Philip must be in on it, too! You've all seen how friendly he's been with the Humans!" Diana turned to Lydia for support.  
  
Lydia bit her lip and thought fast. Right now with the Leader dead, that left Philip in charge and Lydia as his second in command. Even though she had never been as notorious as Diana, Lydia was sure the Humans would have her name on a list of war criminals. And Philip, being the 'humanitarian' that he was, would probably hand her over to the Terran authorities. However, if she sided with Diana, then Lydia would be in charge with Diana right below her. But knowing Diana's love for power and the hatred the two women had for each other, Diana would surely turn on her as soon as it was safe to do so. Unless Lydia turned on her first. "Guards! Take the Humans away! And lock Philip up with them!"  
  
"What do you think you are doing?" demanded Philip as a number of guards with drawn weapons surrounded him.  
  
"Until this matter is fully investigated, you will remain in custody." Seeing that he was going to protest further, Lydia raised her voice slightly so that those further away could also here. "You can't blame anyone for being suspicious of you. You were so friendly when the humans came on board, it seemed like you were old friends. Let an investigation be done. If you protest it will only make you look more guilty, you know."  
  
Philip clenched his teeth in fury as he was led away.  
  
Turning to regard Diana, she added. "Take her and Lt. James to my office. I will interrogate them there personally." Seeing the smile in Diana's eyes, Lydia added, "And make sure they remain securely shackled."  
  
***** 


	2. Family Ties Chapter 2

A Tangled Web 4.2  
By Ordinaryguy2@Juno.com  
Note: Will write for reviews  
  
List of Characters in this section  
Star Trek:  
Dr. Beverly Crusher - Medical doctor on the starship Enterprise  
Vash - A lady archeologist who would go from planet to planet usually searching through sites in which she wasn't allowed. Also a brief love interest for Captain Picard and also Q   
Major Kira Nerys - Second in Command on the spacestation Deep Space Nine  
Kai Wynn - The religious leader to the Bajoran people   
B'Elanna Torres - Chief Engineer on the starship Voyager  
Harry Kim - Communication Officer on the starship Voyager  
  
Doctor Who:  
The Doctor - The fourth Doctor in the series. He is a time lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space  
Leela - A warrior from a primitive tribe on another world descended from stranded astronauts  
K-9 - A small dog shaped robot that has a very sophisticated computer, sensory, and weapons systems  
  
V- the series:  
Mike Donovan - Former news cameraman who quickly became one of the main targets for the Visitors  
Julie Parrish - A young biomedical student who became one of the leaders of the L.A. Resistance  
Kyle Bates - Became a member of the Resistance but often at odds with those around him. He is also the boyfriend of Elizabeth  
Elizabeth - The first and only crossbred between the Visitors and Humans, also known as the 'star child'. She has a variety of powers but is still inexperienced with them  
Willie - A Visitor technician that managed to join the Human Resistance  
Thelma - Willie's fianc‚e with who he had just been reunited  
Philip - One of those high in command on the mothership, Philip also became a secret member of the Fifth Column, those Visitors opposed to the fighting against the Humans. He also became a contact between the Fifth Column and the Human Resistance  
Diana - Think evil, manipulative, intelligent, and power hungry.  
Lt. James - Diana's right hand man  
Lydia - Diana's rival for power  
The Leader - Just arrived to Earth, the Leader is a sadistic tyrant that has used his mental abilities to make his people love and follow him  
  
Battlestar Galactica:  
Capt. Apollo - Leader of the Vipers, the fighter pilots that protect the last of the Twelve Colonies of Man  
Lt. Starbuck Friend of Apollo's and fellow Warrior. Also a gambler and girl chaser  
Commander Adama - Leader of the Twelve Colonies of Man and hopes to bring them to the legendary Thirteenth Colony on Earth  
Boomer - Friend of Apollo's and fellow Warrior  
Boxey - Apollo's adopted son and a young recruit of the Viper squads  
  
Starman:  
Paul Forrester - An alien on the run from the government who just wants to be with his family. He also has powers   
Scott Hayden - The son of Paul Forrester and Jenny Hayden. He is still a teenager and just learning how to use his powers  
Jenny Hayden - A Human who bore a child with an alien and has been on the run ever since  
George Fox - A federal agent who is determined to prove himself by bringing in the 'starman'  
  
Quantum Leap:  
Dr. Samuel Beckett - A time traveler who had gotten stuck in his project and found that in order to travel through time he would have to change things in peoples lives  
Al Calavicci - A friend of Sam's who helped give him information and advice while appearing to him as a hologram  
  
*****  
  
Earth's Solar System  
Starbuck's Viper soared through space. It had been a long flight to this star system, with little rest on the way as they were using a new, faster model of engine that required the pilots to be more alert when at high speeds. Still, Starbuck's mind began to wander as they came past the fourth planet from the sun. "Hey, Apollo, do you think we are getting our hopes up again? Do you think we are going to actually find Earth?"  
  
Apollo's Viper dipped slightly before righting. "I don't know. I hope so." He sighed. "It would be nice to finely settle down on a planet and call it home again. Even if we would have to fight off an alien invasion force first."  
  
"Yeah, I'm really looking forward to that!" Starbuck answered sarcastically.  
  
Boomer interrupted the two pilots. "Either of you think that this could be another Cylon trap? They've tried things before."  
  
"The signal was over three years old," pointed out Starbuck. "The Cylons couldn't have gotten that far ahead of us."  
  
"We'll find out soon enough. Our vector is just ahead." Apollo adjusted his scanners as he tried to gain information of this new promising world as well as any possible threats to him and the other warriors.  
  
"Looks like it's only got one moon, which according to my scanners is on the other side of the planet," commented Starbuck who was also checking his scanners.  
  
"You know, I've got a theory about inhabitants that live under one moon," responded Boomer. "They tend to be more depressed and less romantically motivated than those who live under more than one moon."  
  
"Well, as a great romantic myself, I am more than willing to go down there and test that theory. All in the name of science, of course," chuckled Starbuck.  
  
Boomer chuckled. "I'm sure that Cassiopea would understand your sacrifice," commented Boomer on Starbuck's fianc‚e.  
  
"Cut the chatter, you two," barked Apollo. "I have a huge ship on the western part of that northern continent. Twenty microns ago, a huge explosion appeared just off to the side of it."  
  
"A battle?" asked Boomer.  
  
"Possibly. Stay sharp. These people may be trigger happy." Apollo thought about it for a moment, then decided to go down to the planet instead of doing an orbital scan. "Okay everyone, listen up. Starbuck and I are going down. Boomer, do the orbital scan and keep the rest of the squadron with you. If things get bad, it's your call, but send Boxey and Tomie back with the information from the scans."  
  
"Dad! You can't--"  
  
"Do not question your commanding officer's orders!" Apollo had been more than proud when his adopted son, Boxey, had followed his footsteps to become a Viper pilot, but it still rattled his nerves whenever Boxey flew into combat. "You are eighteen yahrens old and while a good pilot, you and Tomie are still the least experienced. If there is going to be fighting down there, then we are going to need to send the most experienced because we don't know what we are going to encounter. Understand?"  
  
Apollo listened to the silence in his headphones before he repeated himself. "I said 'do you understand?'"  
  
"Yes sir," came Boxey's mumbled reply.  
  
He hated having to correct him like that with everyone else listening, but he had to know that he couldn't argue orders from his leaders while on maneuvers. "All right, then. Boomer, they are all yours. Starbuck, follow me."  
  
It was a few minutes later when they were clear of the other Vipers that Starbuck broke the silence. "You were a little rough on him, don't you think?"  
  
"He's eighteen! He shouldn't even be on this mission. He should be among the warriors back on the Galactica guarding the colonists."  
  
"True. But then how would he get any experience as a Viper pilot?"  
  
"He'd have opportunities. Besides, my call on making sure the information we gather gets back to the Galactica was a good one."  
  
"Yeah, I know. Soooo....why did you bring him on this trip anyway?"   
  
Apollo grumbled in spite of himself. "I didn't. His grandfather made that call."  
  
"Oh boy. Must have been some arguing over that."  
  
"There was. But my father wanted Boxey to be among the first to see the fabled Earth. Probably because he couldn't be here himself."   
  
"Ah, grandparents. You got to love 'em."  
  
Apollo looked at his screen. "Got an incoming message. Coming from that huge ship on the surface."  
  
"I got a visual on the ship. I can't believe it can just hover like that in an atmosphere."  
  
"I'm going to initiate contact." Apollo adjusted a few more dials while a screen came up at the side.   
  
"Hey! I thought we just suppose to just 'assess the situation'?"  
  
"We are. I'm just planning on assessing a little closer." Apollo flipped a switch. "This is Viper One from the Battlestar Galactica. Do you read me?"  
  
The screen flickered back and forth as the alien technologies on both sides tried to adjust to the different signs being sent back and forth. Finally, they came to a mutual agreement and the screen cleared. "-tify yourself and your intentions."  
  
"This is Viper One of the Battlestar Galactica. We come in peace."   
  
The brown haired woman in the red uniform on his viewscreen didn't seem convinced. "What are your intentions?"  
  
"Our fleet is exploring this area of space and we were sent out as advanced scouts," Apollo responded as he gave out their cover story. He interrupted her as she consulted with someone off screen. "My scanners have detected a large explosion near your ship. Are you under attack?"  
  
"That--that is not for me to say," answered the upset woman. "We are sending some shuttles to escort you to a shuttle bay," instructed the woman as she sighed off.  
  
"Cute, but seemed a little distraught," pointed out Starbuck. "She didn't even ask us if we wanted to come aboard."  
  
"I noticed that, too."  
  
"Well, do we go aboard or do we make a run for it? The lady sure didn't look like a lizard to me. I suppose the Humans of the planet could have forced the invaders away."  
  
"We've been fooled by appearances before," Apollo reminded him. "I did notice that her voice had a strange revibration to it. Of course, that could have been caused by the interference between the different technologies we have," He looked at the shuttlecrafts coming to guide them in, then over at his friend sitting in a Viper fighter a couple of yards off to his left. "I think we should give it a try. After all, the people of Earth could have defeated the invaders and taken over their ships. It would explain why we only see one."  
  
Starbuck sighed. "I hope you are right because I've got a really bad feeling about this."  
  
*****  
  
Library in L.A.  
Siting in a chair and leaning back as she stared up through the skylight at the massive alien vessel floating up above, Kira Nerys sighed in exasperation. Dr. Crusher had insisted that everyone sit down and go over everything she had uncovered, even though the most logical place was already apparent to everybody. All anyone had to do was look up to know where the Borg would go. "So, does anyone have any ideas how we can actually get up there?"  
  
Beverly frowned at Kira's attitude and continual interruptions. "We have to do some research if we are to take on the Borg on this world," she began to lecture.  
  
Before the two women could argue, a flash appeared bringing three new people to the library. "Ah, Beverly. I'd like you to meet your two new allies. Dr. Samuel Beckett and Admiral Albert Calavicci." Q looked in Vash's direction uneasily. "Well, I'll just leave you all to get acquainted. Ta!" In a flash he was gone.  
  
Five of those around the table rose to greet the two men, while Kai Wynn stayed seated, shaking her head. Introductions were made around the room as the Kai mumbled about the self-importance of Humans.  
  
"I can't imagine that Hawaiian shirts are standard issue for military uniforms," commented Harry Kim with a smile as he held out his hand.  
  
"It's not. I just like to look snazzy." Al held his hand out for a handshake but laughed at Harry's surprise as Harry's hand went right through Al's. "Sorry, kid. I'm just a hologram here. I may take so getting used to."  
  
Harry chuckled good-naturedly. "I don't think it will be a problem. I've worked with a hologram on occasion before."   
  
"Ah, good. Then maybe you can give me some pointers. It's my first time being seen as a hologram by anyone other than Sam. Maybe you know some cool move I can use to distract these Borg guys."  
  
Harry nodded and pulled out his tricorder. "Let me get scan your programming and then I should have an idea of some of what you are capable of."  
  
"Programming? Kid, what are you talking about? Do I look like a computer to you?"  
  
"Hi, I'm Sam."  
  
Beverly held out her hand to the man in the white jumpsuit. She was almost surprised when she actually touched his hand. "For a minute there, I thought you might be like your friend, the hologram."  
  
Sam laughed. "No. I am very happy to say that I am all here."  
  
"You remind me of someone. I'm just not sure who." She shook her head in embarrassment when she realized she had been staring. "Sorry."  
  
"It's okay," replied Sam, "I kinda get that a lot."  
  
"Wait a minute. He does seem familiar," agreed B'Elanna. "I remember. I've seen his face in one of the holonovels I've been in!"  
  
"That's right. He's an exact lookalike of Captain Jonathan Archer!" squealed Beverly.  
  
Vash and Kira looked at each other and exchanged glances of confusion.  
  
"That's right! The commander of the Earth Starship Enterprise! Tom is going to be so jealous!" B'Elanna pulled out her tricorder even as Beverly did the same. They both began scanning the man while Sam began cautiously backing away from them.  
  
Kai Wynn sighed in exasperation. "Are all Human females like this or do we just have the special ones with us?"  
  
Major Kira Nerys bit her lip to keep from chuckling at the rude comment. "I believe this Samuel Beckett has a dimensional duplicate in our world. And if I remember correctly what little Earth history that I know, he is one of the first Human deep space explorers."  
  
"Really?" Vash looked Sam over as he put a chair between him and the two women before him. "I always imagined that Captain Archer was taller but I see the resemblance."  
  
"Drop your weapons!" bellowed out a voice from behind a bookrack. Suddenly, a dozen armed men in red uniforms and dark visors appeared.  
  
Al ducked down low and tapped on his comm-link with Ziggy. He looked up to see of the armed men reaching down for him, but suddenly Al Calavicci was no longer there.  
  
*****  
  
Lydia's Office  
Sauntering through her office doors, Lydia walked around the man and woman chained to the reinforced chairs in the middle of the room and sat at her desk. "Well now, Diana, James, what shall we do with you two?"  
  
Diana smiled evilly. "If you are smart, you'll free us and restore our regular positions."  
  
Lydia leaned back in her chair and returned the smile for all the venom it was worth. "Now why would I want to do that? I imagine it would be a lot quieter and safer for me if I just kept you in those chains. Or if you had some horrible accident." She looked closely to see if there was any fear in either of the two captives' eyes. She was very disappointed.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a blinking on her monitor. Turning her attention from her two chained enemies, she typed a password onto her keyboard. "Hmm. It appears I won't be able to give the direct attention you deserve, Diana. At least not right away."  
  
"Experiencing problems already, Lydia?" asked Diana snidely. "What? Have the Humans attacked or is it the pesky Fifth Column again."  
  
Lydia didn't even bother to look away from her monitor. "Neither. It appears two long range, single-occupant crafts made contact with our vessel shortly after the Leader's shuttlecraft exploded. The pilots said they were scouting the way for another vessel which they called a Battlestar."  
  
"Well, that is interesting," commented Diana with genuine interest.  
  
"Do we know what species the pilots are from?" asked Lt. James.  
  
"Human in appearance. I'll find out for sure when I interrogate them," answered Lydia automatically.  
  
"You have them captive already. Good," commented Diana with approval.  
  
Lydia spared Diana a quick glance. Approval from Diana was a very rare thing and for some reason it didn't feel right in this situation. "Yes. Even more interesting, a squad of soldiers went down to Los Angeles to investigate some strange energy readings that had been picked up. They found a group of people there. Two appear to be alien, another also but possibly a human hybrid."  
  
"Really. I want a copy of all that information sent to my terminal. I also want all the prisoners sent to my personal holding cells."  
  
"I think that would be rather pointless," Lydia chuckled. "Aren't you forgetting that you two are also prisoners?"  
  
Diana smiled. "Not really." A large panel of the wall slide away revealing four guards armed with laser pistols.  
  
Lydia ducked under her desk and reached for her sidearm.  
  
"I wouldn't, Lydia." Diana sat back in her chair and smiled. "This situation could work for both of us. All you have to do is work with us."  
  
"You really expect me to trust you!" She had her weapon aimed directly at her rival, but Diana didn't seem to even care. She just sat there and smiled at Lydia in the annoying way that always made Lydia want to shoot her in the back.  
  
"If I give you reason to, then yes, I do."  
  
Lydia hit a button underneath her desk to call her personal guard. "Like what," she asked as she stalled for time.  
  
"Like the fact that the energy cell in your laser pistol had been replaced with a dead one."  
  
Lydia stopped herself before she actually checked it. "Nice try."  
  
"If you don't believe me, then go ahead and fire."  
  
"If I shoot you, your guards will kill me," snarled Lydia. She was beginning to hate this situation the more and more she thought about it.  
  
"You must be very distracted, Lydia. These aren't my guards. They're yours."  
  
Lydia looked away from Diana in horror as she looked at the faces of the four guards aiming weapons at her to see the truth of Diana's statement. In desperation, she tried to fire her pistol but all it did was make a small crackling noise. "You bribed my own guards!" she bellowed furiously as she climbed out from under her desk. There was no hiding now. She had no where to go.  
  
"No," answered Diana. "You forget about the mind conversion process I perfected." Both her and James began to remove the unlocked shackles they had been wearing.  
  
"You've used your machines to brainwash the crew," Diana's blond rival accused.  
  
"Only about ten percent of those who's loyalty I wasn't entirely sure of. There was just too many to convert to my will." She dropped the last of the chains and stood up next to James. "About thirty percent, like James here, were naturally loyal to me. As for the rest of the crew, those that aren't Fifth Columnist anyway, will just follow whoever is in command."  
  
"But why go to such lengths?"  
  
Diana looked at her as if she was just a little child. "For control, of course. Control is power after all. And once I heard the Leader was coming, I knew he wouldn't approve of the brainwashing. Not unless he was the one doing it. So, of course, I had to kill him."  
  
"You killed the Leader!?!" exclaimed Lydia. She had suspected as much, but suspicions were one thing and confirmation something else altogether.  
  
"Who else would dare?" stated Diana with a Cheshire smile.  
  
Lydia saw her chances of leaving the room getting smaller and smaller the more she learned, but she had to ask one more question. "And what do you want with me?"  
  
"To clear us of any connection with the Leader's death and reinstate our positions on this ship." Diana leaned back in her chair as she let Lydia think about her situation.   
  
James, meanwhile, had gone to Lydia's liquor cabinet and poured himself and Diana a glass each of a rare vintage from their homeworld. Giving Diana her glass, he leaned down and gave her a kiss that she returned with fervor. "Would you like a snack?" He held out a small transparent box with six kangaroo rats inside.  
  
Diana looked into the box with interest. "I don't think I've sampled this breed before. But then, Lydia, you always did go out of your way to try the more exotic things." James lifted the container a little and Diana's hand shot in and out, bringing a plump male in her fist. "A cute little morsel," she commented as she regarded it for a moment. Then, taking it by the tail, she lifted the squeaking creature over her head and slowly lowered it down to her upturned mouth. Her mouth stretched open as it made to accommodate the rodent, then her throat expanded as well when the creature reached that point. "A tasty little treat. Thank you, James." She turned back to Lydia but she still had a hungry, predatory look in her eyes. "Time to make your decision. Will you be for or against us?"  
  
Lydia knew it was no choice at all. "Very well. But I stay in charge of this ship."  
  
Diana smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."  
  
*****  
  
Diana's Personal Holding Cells  
"I hate being locked up!" Starbuck spat as he hit the wall with his fist.  
  
"Trust me. Hitting the walls with your fists will not help," stated Mike Donavon as he leaned against the wall. Beside him and sitting on a bench, Julie held onto his hand as a means of pooling their comfort and strength through the contact.  
  
"It couldn't hurt...much." He rubbed his tender fist as he resorted back to his pacing. He shot a glance over towards Apollo who was talking with a few of the Humans locked up with them. Starbuck didn't blame his captain for their situation simply because, in the end, it was the very call he would have made. But still, it didn't make him any happier to be locked up in a cell.  
  
Overall, the cell held twelve people: the two colonial warriors, three Visitors, and seven Humans. The initial introductions had been made when the two warriors arrived. And while the people in the cell had been surprised to learn that a long-lost star spanning colony of Humans had come to help them against the Visitors, Apollo and Starbuck were in turn surprised to learn that one of the people in the room, Juliet Parrish, had actually been the one to send the message into space that the Galactica had intercepted.  
  
"A lost branch of the Human race? Sounds a little far fetched to me." General Hammond* had been a prisoner of Diana's for only a few days but he had heard enough of her methods to know that she might put people in with them to spy or undermine their hopes.  
  
"Whether you believe it or not doesn't matter," responded Apollo. "We're here now and my people will do whatever we can to help against the invaders."  
  
"Why should I believe you?"  
  
"There's nothing that I can prove right now. But I will tell you this. A similar thing happened to my people yahrens ago." He looked the general in the eye so that the man could see the anger and hurt still there. "We lost twelve inhabited worlds to invaders whose sole purpose was to slaughter us. We will not lose another one."  
  
A young thin man coughed slightly as he wiped his glasses on his shirt. "You-you really think that the people of Earth are somehow related to your people?" Daniel** had been a promising student at UCLA studying ancient languages before the Visitors had returned to Earth. He had been able to get out of LA alive and had made it to Redlands, CA where he joined a local Resistance group. While they did fight battles against the Visitors, Daniel's group also specialized in helping ship and distribute weapons and supplies to other Resistance groups in the Lower California area. Daniel in particular had used his knowledge of ancient languages to create code words for the military that the Visitors were unable to decipher.  
  
"I'm sure a physician can tell us for sure once we get out of here." Apollo's hopes were high but even he wanted confirmation.  
  
"I'll take you up on that." Julie smiled. "I know enough about Human physiology to quickly find out one way or the other in a lab."  
  
Apollo chuckled. "As long as we aren't talking about vivisection here."  
  
"Personally, I'd like to study your language structure," commented Daniel. "And know how you are able to speak English so well."  
  
"Sounds a little less painful," nodded Apollo. "I know that my father would more than willing to go over our more ancient language scrolls with you. He's the last of my people that can still translate them. He's tried to teach me but I don't seem to have the knack or interest to learn them. As for the explanation as to how we know your language so well, you'll have to talk to our more technical people so that they can explain the devices we have that can--"  
  
"I really don't think any of that is going to matter if we don't get out of here," snapped the general.  
  
Philip looked over from where he had been gazing out of the cell. "I agree."  
  
"You agree? Then what are you going to do about it?" demanded General Hammond. "You're suppose to be at the top of the chain of command around here! Why don't you just get us out of here?"  
  
Mike put out a hand onto the general's shoulder, which was immediately shrugged off. "Philip is a friend. He risked everything many times over to help us whenever he could."  
  
"Your friend! Not mine!" He spat at the ground and went to be by himself at the far side of the cell leaving an awkward silence behind him.  
  
Daniel sighed. "Uh, the war has been rather hard on him. He really--"  
  
"The fighting has been hard on us all," interrupted Philip. "Besides, I've run across other Humans that don't like me. It's not exactly a new experience for me. Mike had a friend that would rather shoot me than talk to me."  
  
Mike laughed. "Ham Tyler is an acquired taste," Mike explained. "When it's peaceful we can't stand each other, but when it's all-out war I'm very glad that he is on my side."  
  
Philip shook his head. "The problem is Mr. Tyler just doesn't want to accept that I am also on your side."  
  
Julie looked up from where she was sitting. "I don't know. I think in Ham's own way he has come to accept you. I'm even willing to go so far as to say I think he even likes you."  
  
"Oh, he likes me alright," agreed Philip sarcastically. "The problem is he'd like me to be a pair of boots for him."  
  
The talking subsided for awhile as the comment about the boots filled everyone's mind. When Earth had initially defeated the Visitors with the red toxin bacteria, thousands of Visitor bodies fell everywhere. A few of the less scrupulous people decided to use whatever bodies they could get a hold of and use the lizard-like skin for boots and jackets. While the United States government made the practice illegal, many still sought to buy a pair of the expensive genuine Visitor-skin boots across the border in Mexico.  
  
Willie shuddered and pulled Thelma, his fianc‚e, into a comforting hug. When she asked him about the boots comment he promised he would explain later. Willie had been one of the few Visitors to remain on Earth when the Visitors had been repelled from the planet. Even though he had he had been acknowledged as a member of the Resistance and publicly proclaimed a hero, Willie had had more than one encounter with Humans who would only see him as an enemy. Two had actually seen him as another resource for their boot making company and were very surprised and upset when they found he had so many human friends willing to protect him.  
  
"Sounds extremely barbaric," commented Apollo with a frown. He didn't like the way the conversation was going but it was giving him some idea of what the Human culture was like here. And he knew that everything he learned would have to be taken into account if he and his people were to eventually settle here on Earth.  
  
"Don't judge us by the actions of just a few of us." Julie shifted on her bench to relieve some of her stiffness. "Every culture has at least some members that do not hold to the ethical norm."  
  
Starbuck grimaced. "She's got us there." At Apollo's questioning look, he mentioned, "Count Baltar," as an explanation. Apollo just nodded so Starbuck added, "And some of the Council members," to which he got a frown.  
  
"I have a feeling you will have to fill us in on a few things later on," Julie remarked. "But for now I think we should concentrate our efforts on getting ourselves out of here."   
  
Philip sighed in contemplation as he watched the guards talking with one another. "When I came to Earth and met Diana, I just knew that I'd end up in one of her special cells one day."  
  
Starbuck shook his head in frustration. "You know, if I had been you and I thought that I was going to end up in here, I would have made a way that I could get out!"  
  
Philip glanced at the guards to check that they still weren't paying attention to them; then he went to a corner of the room and put a small plastic square against one of the metal panels. After a momentary glow, Philip tapped it three times and removed it. Before anyone could ask him any questions, the metal panel quietly slid aside revealing a large passageway into the ship's large ventilation system. Looking back at the others, Philip flashed Starbuck a grin. "So what do you think of my get-out-of-jail free card?"  
  
------  
Author's Note  
Yes, you probably recognize a few characters from Stargate SG-1. But since the invasion of the Visitors, this particular parallel universe has not had anyone working and studying on the ancient stargate that had been found in the early 1900's in North Africa. The TV show is based off of the movie the only difference is that SG-1 team get set out through the stargate to explore other worlds in the hopes of finding technology or allies to help them fight against the Goa'ulds, who are insistent on taking over the Earth.  
So why am I bringing in Stargate SG-1 to this crossover? Read on and you will eventually see why I am tying it in. Until then you'll just have to guess for yourself. You should know though that on this parallel world the stargate has yet to be opened.  
  
* Gen. Hammond - He rose up in the ranks, partially because of his abilities but also because a large number of his superiors had been killed during the Visitors surprise return to Earth. Being in charge of the defense of the southwestern section of the United States, Hammond has butted heads with Diana on more than a few occasions. The Stargate project hidden beneath Cheyenne Mountain, being a secondary priority, had been literally buried on his orders while the U.S. military focused on the alien invaders. Recently, however, he had heard word that Diana had sent teams of Visitors to discover, and possibly retrieve, what was so important that the U.S. military was willing to bury it. While on his way to learn whether or not Diana was able to recover the stargate, Hammond was captured and made one of her prisoners.  
  
** Daniel Jackson - A student at UCLA studying ancient languages, Daniel found his studies interrupted by the Visitor invasion. After staying with a friend in Redland, CA for a time, he finally realized that the Visitors were not going to be repelled anytime soon. At least, not without a lot of effort. Joining the local Resistance movement, he began learning different guerilla tactics in fighting against the lizard invaders. His first major contribution had been devising a series of codes that the Visitors had been unable to decipher. Recently, however, while on an attempt to free some captured soldiers, his team was also captured. To make matters worse, one of the new recruits had talked under torture and told about Daniel's being the creator of the Resistance's code system. This got him separated from his friends and sent straight to Diana's special cells so that she could conduct a more personal interview. Because of all the recent activities, Diana just hadn't been able to spare any time for him.  
  
*****  
  
Shuttlebay On The Other Side Of The Ship  
Making sure to lock the TARDIS, the Doctor took one more look around for signs of anyone. "You'd think that on a vessel of this sort there would be more people about." Seeing that no one else was going to comment on the empty shuttlebay he took off for a doorway that lead further into the massive ship. The sounds of feet on metal behind him told him that his companions were quickly following him.  
  
Kyle tried to grab the Doctor's sleeve to slow him down but instead managed to snap a section of his scarf. Feeling the tug, the Doctor whirled around in anger at the indignity. Kyle quickly began to state his case before the Doctor could tear into him because Kyle knew that if he didn't that he most likely wouldn't get a chance. "Something is seriously wrong here. This place should be crawling with lizards, not empty."  
  
The Doctor jerked the scarf out of Kyle's hand and rearranged it around his neck. "I already know that. That's why we're looking to see what's wrong. My best guess is the Borg."  
  
"Those cyborg things you were telling us about?" Kyle was getting frustrated. "Forget them for now. If the Visitors find us wandering around their ship with their Leader as a captive, it'll be straight to the dinner plate for us! And trust me when I say that they do not cook their meat before they eat it!"  
  
The Doctor sighed in exasperation. He decided right away that Kyle was not cut out to be a good companion. Elizabeth, on the other hand, seemed to be holding up remarkably well. While Leela held a knife at the so-called Leader's throat, Elizabeth used her mental powers to try to keep the Leader in the same stupor that the Leader had originally had her in. Paul guided her in a way while she attempted this unfamiliar task. The FSA man, George Fox, was also watching the Leader's every move. The obvious alien nature of the Leader drew George to him like a magnet. "If it will ease your mind at all, K-9 is already set up to give us advanced warning on anything coming near us. Aren't you, K-9?"  
  
"Affirmative, master," barked the canine unit as he wagged his little antenna tail.  
  
Kyle Bates looked doubtfully down at the little robot dog at the Doctor's side. "That's comforting," he replied without any enthusiasm.  
  
Scott took the brief pause in their walk to study a nearby control panel on the wall next to a door. Seeing a red light on the panel blinking, Scott reached a hand out in curiosity.  
  
"Scott! Don't touch that!"  
  
Scott's hand reflexively pulled back. He looked over to see his mom and dad coming over to him. "What does it do?"  
  
Paul Forrester regarded the panel before looking back at his son. "I have no idea."  
  
"Then why can't I push the button?"  
  
Jenny's eyebrows scrunched up. "Because you don't know what it does, sweetie."  
  
"What kind of answer is that?" Scott threw his hands up in the air. "Parents! Can't live with 'em! Can't trade 'em in!" He started to storm off but then whirled back. "Just once I'd like you two to trust me not to mess everything up." Having said his part, he walked away from his parents to try to cool down. He noticed the Doctor proceeding down the hall again and decided to walk up front by him. He got just behind Leela and decided he preferred to walk behind her. There was just something about walking behind a woman in leather that he found very enticing. He wanted to start up a conversation with her but knew he shouldn't because she was still holding a knife to the Leader's throat. He looked over at the other young woman who had been introduced to him as Elizabeth. "So what do you think about all this?"  
  
The pretty blond woman gave him a look of confusion. "All of what?" She had a bead of perspiration on her forehead and most of her concentration still focused on keeping the Leader in a mental stupor.  
  
"These aliens trying to take over your world."  
  
Elizabeth hesitated a moment but decided that honesty was best. "Actually, I am from both worlds. My father was a Visitor and my mother was a Human."  
  
"Really!?! Me too! Well, except my dad wasn't a Visitor, but a different kind of alien." Scott was overjoyed at finding somebody he could finally relate to, even if she was from a parallel reality. "So you understand all about not really fitting in with either side no matter how hard you try? Right?"  
  
"Um, yes," she agreed shyly. "Though most of the people I know have been very supportive of helping me fit in and explore both sides of my ancestry."   
  
Scott was amazed. "You get to tell people that you are only half-human? Didn't they freak?"  
  
"I really didn't get a chance to tell. It was covered by the national press for over a year. Besides, people had been in close contact with the Visitors for over a year prior to my birth so it wasn't totally new territory. I'm the only one, though."  
  
"Didn't the government try take you in for studying?" asked Scott with some apprehension as he mentioned one of his biggest fears. "Study your powers and DNA and stuff?"  
  
"Some people wanted to, I suppose. But I was a world hero as well as in the national spotlight because of what I was. The government couldn't come near me without raising a worldwide rebuke. Besides, Julie said that if they tried to take me into custody they would be committing political suicide."  
  
"So it was all that simple?" He looked back at his folks and halfway wondered if he should get them in on this conversation.  
  
Elizabeth smiled. "I don't know if I would call it 'simple'. It did help that some believed that I could be the bridge of peace between the two races." She looked up at him in embarrassment for a moment. "Willie even told me I even had my own fan club," she said with a blush.  
  
"I wonder why no one thought of that in my universe?" He looked over and gave an accusing glare at George Fox. It was then that he noticed that the federal agent had been listening to their conversation the whole time. He was about to berate the man when Elizabeth put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Let it go," she whispered. "Anger makes it harder for me to concentrate. Besides, if you wish to become a bridge of peace to your world you must first learn to have peaceful intentions and manners yourself."  
  
His emotions warred with in him for a moment but they settled down. He had been surprised that she could sense his emotions. "You're right, I guess. My dad has said similar things to me before about that. I guess I can be a bit dense sometimes."  
  
"Well, you are a teenage male," she pointed out as if it fully explained everything. Which it did. "My boyfriend, Kyle, can be like that sometimes, too." She looked ahead briefly to check on Kyle walking ahead of them as he argued in hushed tones with the Doctor.  
  
Scott felt a little uncomfortable so he decided to change the subject. "So did you get your powers from your father, too?"  
  
"In a way, I suppose." She lifted her hand up for him to examine. "The birthmark on my hand is what my people call the Mark of Zon."  
  
"Zon?"  
  
"A name my people have for God. It was believed that Zon blessed certain people with power to help guide them and bring them closer to Zon. A new bearer of the mark would appear every fifty to two hundred years to renew contact with that generation."  
  
"Uh, I hate to say this but your people don't seem too god-seeking to me."  
  
Elizabeth nodded sadly. "Through most of the millennia my people were very peaceful and were truly faithful to the Covenant of Zon. Then a young acolyte came bearing the Mark but, unlike his predecessors he served only own desires and encourage the carnal nature of others. During his reign the land suffered as well due to the industry practices he started and that is why our planet can no longer support our people now. He outlawed the worship of Zon and destroyed all the writings of the words of Zon, though there were always a faithful few that continued the ways of Zon. He even brought back ancient pagan practices such as the Feast of Romalon, which consists of orgies and cannibalism. Gladiatorial matches to the death became a national sport. Getting rid of superiors by deceit and murder was encouraged simply because it amused him. He also ordered the slaughter of the families of the previous Bearers of the Mark because it was almost always passed onto the descendants."  
  
"Sounds like he didn't want any rivals." Scott gave the six and a half foot muscular humanoid lizard another look and shivered. He wasn't sure if it was the creature's obvious alien nature that bothered him or if he was responding to the lizard-man evil nature. "So your father must have been one of the descendants that he missed."  
  
"Yes. Either by the hand of Zon or maybe the deceit of Diana. Possibly Both."  
  
"Diana?"  
  
"Someone you don't want to meet." Elizabeth frowned as she had to mentally push down the mind of the Leader who was responding to what he heard with anger. At least now she knew that he was listening. And that he was furious at Diana. "She was the lover of the Leader before he sent her way out here. Even the great Leader thought Diana's ambitions were too great to keep her around, but he enjoyed hearing of her conquests of others. It's my speculation that she had stumbled upon one the remaining descendants of the Bearers of the Mark." She flinched again as the Leader pushed his mind up again, but she pushed him down into docility again. "Diana's field of expertise was computers but she had a special knack for genetic manipulation, so she used my father to mate with an Earth woman. She probably thought I would be easier to control being a half-breed. Luckily for me, my mother was rescued shortly after I was conceived." She shivered in spite of herself. "And since my father was killed shortly after I was born, Diana wasn't able to find anyone else with a suitable genetic makeup to create another starchild like myself."  
  
"And I thought I had it rough just going from foster home to home until my parents found me. You must have been raised in a literal war zone as a child."  
  
"Not really. The Visitors occupied Earth until I was about six months old. Then they were forced to leave and did not come back until a year later. That was about two years ago."  
  
"Uh," Scott said uncertainly, "unless I missed something there, that makes you to be about three and a half years old."  
  
The young woman nodded. By now she was used to people having some difficulty coming to terms with her age. "My powers caused me to age faster. Probably so that I would be prepared when the Leader sought me out since he would most likely know of my existence the moment I was born."  
  
The teenager looked at her in wonder. She looked like a regular, shy nineteen-year-old girl you could find on any college campus. "Alright, but why don't you sound like a three and half year old?"  
  
"My powers enable me to pull up the memories of those I am descended from so that I was able to mentally mature as well."  
  
"Genetic memory? Cool! Bet that would help you taking tests in school."  
  
"I guess so but I never went to school."  
  
"Even better!"  
  
She smiled and just shook her head.  
  
Scott found himself fascinated in this young - actually very young - woman. He had to take a moment to remind himself that she already had a boyfriend and that he already had a girlfriend even if she was a universe away. "You know, I really don't see any resemblance between you and tall, dark and scaly over there. What's up with that?"  
  
"I was born a twin. My brother took after our father while I took after our mother. The only noticeable features I took on from our father was a forked tongue. Oh, and I shed my skin every now and then."   
  
A rasp came from in front of them. Both Scott and Elizabeth stared as Leela tensed her hold on the Visitor's Supreme Leader. He did not halter as he continued walking but somewhere from deep within him, past his glazed eyes, a voice come up from the depth of his being. "Where...is...your...brother?"  
  
Elizabeth was so surprised at question she couldn't help but answer it. "He-he died a couple of days after we were born. Somehow there was something that was in his genetic makeup that killed him. The Resistance were able to use the bacteria they found to make the red dust toxin that forced your fleet off of Earth two years ago."  
  
"Diana...? Diana...made...the...toxin?"  
  
"By accident and without her knowledge, yes, Diana technically created the bacteria." The waves of anger flowing from the Leader but Elizabeth was able to mentally hold him in check.  
  
"Um," started Scott with a lump in his throat. "Maybe we should talk about something else."  
  
*****  
  
Lydia's Office  
Lydia switched off the mothership's intercom system. The deed was done. She had publicly restored Diana and James to their former positions while placing the blame of the Leader's demise on the Humans and the Fifth Column.  
  
"See. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Diana smiled dangerously at her. "And that was throughout the whole ship, right?"  
  
"Should be," muttered Lydia. She punched a few buttons and frowned at her monitor. "That's strange."  
  
"What's strange," demanded Diana.  
  
"Just a minute," answered Lydia as she pressed a few more buttons. "There seems to be a section of the ship with which I can't communicate." She glanced up at Diana. "Is this your handiwork?"  
  
Diana's eyes furrowed. "I'm flattered that you would think so, but, no it's nothing that I've done."  
  
James walked behind the desk to look for himself. "It could be the Fifth Column. I'll send a team over to investigate."  
  
"Good," agreed Diana. "And I want you to personally escort the new prisoners coming up from Los Angeles to my personal cells."  
  
James bowed low. "It would be my pleasure." Then he turned and left the room.  
  
"I'm still in charge here," pointed out Lydia. In her anger she had ignored the four bodyguards that were still in the room.  
  
"Yes, dear Lydia, you are. You just are not in charge of me or James."  
  
Lydia turned her attention back to her monitor in fury. She continued typing buttons until she noticed something. "This is weird."  
  
"What now?" asked Diana.  
  
"Something is going through the ship's computer files and making copies of everything." She glanced at Diana again. "I take it you aren't responsible for this either."  
  
Diana shook her head. "Where is the data going?"  
  
After a few seconds Lydia had an answer. "To the same section of the ship in which the intercom system wasn't working. Humidity and temperatures are also rising in those areas."  
  
"I don't like these kinds of surprises. As a matter of fact these kinds of surprises make me rather angry."  
  
Lydia shivered. As much as she hated Diana, she was smart enough to fear her and not want Diana after her hide. A beep on her console almost made her jump. She quickly read it and began to feel relieved. Diana was going to have an outlet for her anger. "Diana? You know those special cells of yours where Donovan, Philip and all your other special guests are kept?"  
  
"Hmm, yes. I really should go and visit them." She gave a wicked smile and flicked her wavy brown hair back. "I'm sure they're just dying to see me."  
  
Lydia kept a straight face. "That might be a bit difficult. Your guards just reported the cells empty."  
  
***** 


	3. Chapter 3

*****  
  
THE HALLS ON THE STERN SIDE OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
"Master, I have detected signal patterns similar to those used by the Borg."  
  
"Good job, K-9. You are much more useful than this scanner that Starfleet gave to me." The Doctor kneeled down to put himself closer to the same level as the robotic companion while he slipped the scanner into one of his pockets. "Now where are they?"  
  
"I am unable to comply with that set of instructions."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"There is to much electrical interference from this vessel to locate the precise position of the Borg. Also, the drones are not centrally located in one position, making a specific location impossible to pinpoint."  
  
The Doctor sighed. "Very well, K-9. Can you at least determine in which direction we will most likely encounter the Borg?"  
  
"One moment, master." K-9's satellite dish-like ears began rotating to isolate his cybernetic prey.  
  
"Also, see if you can determine why the temperature is rising."  
  
Seeing that the Doctor and K-9 had stopped ahead of her, Leela forced the Leader to stop walking. Leela took a moment to get her bearings and immediately noticed that they were at a crossroads in the hallway and could go either forward or to the left or right. She was about to inform the Doctor of the vulnerability of their situation when she noticed a movement down the hall to her right. "Doctor! A drone!" Even as she watched, the drone came out of one door then went through another door opposite without even acknowledging their presence.  
  
The alien-hunting federal agent drew his weapon and just caught a glimpse of the figure as in went through a doorway fifty feet away. All he had been able to see was a black rubber-like outfit with tubes sticking in and out different places. There also seemed to have been a large mechanical device attached to the person's left hand, but he couldn't be sure since it happened so quickly. George's first thought was to run after it but he quickly thought better of it. This wasn't his home ground; he was in alien ship for crying out loud. He'd have to be a lot more careful if he wanted to bring home an alien as his captive. "Do we go after it or what?"  
  
The Doctor was just about to answer when a soft sigh came from Elizabeth and she slumped into the arms of her very surprised boyfriend, Kyle. Just as suddenly, Leela's knife hand swung out from under the Leader's throat and smashed the hilt into the back of George Fox's head causing him to crash into the metal wall. The freed Leader wasted no time in spinning around and picking Scott Hayden up bodily and then throwing him back into the arms of his surprised parents, knocking them over like bowling pins. The Leader turned again to let his aggression out on the Doctor but when he saw that K-9 was quickly turning to bring its weapons into play, the Leader took off running past the fallen figure of George Fox and down the corridor.  
  
The Doctor moved to give chase but was immediately blocked by Leela. "Leela?" The Doctor had had enough experience with his enemy, the Master, and his use of hapless mind-controlled minions that he could tell when someone was being mentally used. "Leela, fight it, Leela!"  
  
Leela, for her part, just stood there barring his path from the corridor. A part of her heard the Doctor's voice, but there was also another voice that she heard; she could not deny that second voice.  
  
Just behind Leela, George sat up holding his head. There was some blood but not much. As he looked down the hall he could see the fleeing form of the Leader. Picking up his gun, he got to his feet and took after the alien with no thought for those he left behind him. He was on the chase of another alien.  
  
Leela turned once she heard George taking up pursuit. She pulled back her knife hand and took aim at his back.  
  
"K-9! Stun her now!"  
  
The little computer on wheels oriented his weapons and struck with a red beam that caused the warrior woman from the Sevateem tribe to fall over unconscious.  
  
Down the hall, George Fox ran on after his prize, oblivious to the fact that his life had been saved or that it had even been in danger. He was dizzy and lightheaded from the blow to his head, but he was not about to give up pursuit. Even when he saw someone coming out of one of the doorways, he just knocked them over calling out an apology behind him even as he was turning a corner.  
  
He didn't see the Borg drone right itself and bring itself back to its feet. He also didn't see the drone bring its weapons online.  
  
The Doctor did though.  
  
"Oh dear."  
  
"I'm sorry, Doctor." Elizabeth was leaning against one of the walls as she shook the cobwebs out of her head. "I thought I had him. But suddenly he was just too much for me."   
  
"He's had a lot more years experience at mental powers than you," pointed out Kyle, who was helping Scott and his parents get back on their feet. "He probably was waiting for you to get really tired or distracted before pushing you out of his mind."  
  
She knew what Kyle said was true but it didn't comfort her much. Because she couldn't hold him, the Leader was free again to manipulate and control the Visitors again. She was about to express her concerns to the Doctor when she noticed him staring wide-eyed with gaping mouth down one of the hallways. "Are you okay?"  
  
"This is not good. Not good at all," muttered the Doctor as he slowly backed up. "Everyone get to their feet. Quickly!"  
  
Elizabeth risked taking a peek down the hallway that the Doctor was staring down. What she saw was something that reminded her of one of those Living Dead movies Kyle had brought over to watch once but she had quickly decided they were to scary and disturbing to finish. An extremely palefaced man wearing a black deep-sea diving-like suit with multiple metal objects and tubes piercing his body was shuffling down the hall towards them. A red light beam from where the man's left eye should have been was running over the background and the bodies of her, the Doctor and the unconscious figure of Leela.  
  
Even as she watched the man coming towards them, she noticed that some of the other doors down that hall were being opened and similarly attired people were coming out toward them. The ones that the Doctor had called the Borg.  
  
*****  
  
THE BRIDGE OF THE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA  
"Commander," Flight Officer Omega called across the room to where Adama was comparing various star charts.   
  
Adama rose to his feet, feeling every year his bones carried in the aches in his knees. "Has the scout team returned?"  
  
"Partially. We are in radio contact with them and they should be aboard in about twenty centons. From what the pilots tell me, Apollo had two Vipers return to inform us that there is only one possible enemy ship on the planet right now. They also scanned the planet and took samples for further study."   
  
"And Boxey was one of the pilots that Apollo had bring us this information, right?" Omega nodded. Adama sighed half in frustration and half at the predictability of his son, Apollo. "I'll have to talk to him again about being too protective of the boy - I mean man." The old man waved off his own difficulties at defining Boxey's role in society. I guess to some, especially those close to him, he will always be a boy no matter how much we also want him to be a man, he thought. He distracted himself intentionally by sitting down and activating his comm system. "Athena."   
  
He only had to wait a few seconds before he heard her respond through a speaker. "Yes, father."  
  
"I know that you just went off duty a centar ago, but Boxey will be flying in soon with a detailed scan of Earth. We need that data analyzed as soon as possible."  
  
He heard a tired sigh on the other end. "All right, father. I'll go down and meet him myself. I'll let you know if I find anything interesting."  
  
Adama smiled in spite of himself. "Thank you, dear," he replied before signing off. He felt better now knowing that she would be the one studying the data. Analyzing such facts and figures was the thing she excelled at most. Adama had hoped that either Athena or her brother, Apollo, would one day rise to take his place as the Commander of the Colonial Fleet, but he had finally come to terms with the fact that both of his children had little desire for his position. With the reluctance of an old man unwilling yet understanding his need to retire, he had recently started training Sheba to take his place even as she had taken Colonel Tigh's position as second in command when he had retired six yahrens ago due to his failing memory.  
  
Adama looked over at where Sheba sat checking things on her monitor and envied her her youth, yet at the same time he felt he may have cheated her of her chance to be in charge of the Colonial Fleet now that they knew where Earth was. He shook his head at the notion. The Galactica would still need a Commander regardless of them completing their trek through space. The enemies that the people of Earth encountered were proof enough of that. Plus, they would have to protect it from any Cylons BaseShips that still searched for them with the dedication that only machines could have. Adama thought of his retirement again and felt guilty. He would be leaving all the fighting to the younger generation while he enjoyed the benefits of the planet he had searched so hard for. The grass and hills. What would the animals be like? Would they have daggits there? Would they have--  
  
"Commander?"  
  
Adama's head jerked up and he saw Sheba standing over him. He mentally cursed himself for dozing on the bridge. Just last week it had happened. And a month ago. His eyes looked around to see if anyone else noticed, but saw that they were all staring all too intently at the consoles in front of them. He cursed himself again. It wasn't that he was against naps. He enjoyed taking them. They felt good and gave him extra energy. It's just that there was a time and a place for such things and the bridge of a Battlestar was not one of them.  
  
"Sir?" insisted Sheba awkwardly. "Boxey and Tomie will be boarding in a centon. I thought you would like to greet him."  
  
So he had been napping for about twenty centons on the bridge. Adama shook his head. "Yes, I -- I think I'll do that." Adama looked at the time and saw that it was indeed late. At least it explains why I'm so tired, he thought. "Sheba."  
  
"Yes, Commander?"  
  
"I'd like you to have the fleet close the distance between us and Earth by half."  
  
"I thought we were waiting for the analysis reports and Apollo's estimation of this enemy on Earth?"  
  
Adama smiled. "We are, we are. But I think it would be better to be a little closer in case our help is needed a little sooner than later."  
  
He saw that she wasn't quite in agreement but she nodded. "The Pegasus is just returning from training manoeuvres so there shouldn't be anything holding us back." The Pegasus, the only other Battlestar to escape the treacherous attacks on their homeworld, had finally rejoined the Colonial Fleet just over four yahrens ago. Having survived the seemingly destructive encounter with three BaseStars, Cain had managed to patch up the Pegasus enough to limp after the Galactica and the Fleet while taking out various Cylons that they came across in the typical legendary Cain style. The reunion was short-lived, however, as Cain passed away a few sectars later from old age and the accumulated effects of the many wounds he had received in his lifetime.   
  
Though the fleet mourned the passing of the great hero, they also rejoiced at the gift he had brought to them in Pegasus, for two Battlestars were better protection than one. Adama had immediately seen to the repairs of the Pegasus as well as getting it fully staffed again. Fortunately, it also helped in easing some of the more overcrowded ships as many were signing up for detail aboard the famous vessel. As the new commander of the Pegasus, Bojay led a rigorous shakedown of the ship with numerous drills to fix any flaws. While still headstrong and determined to take strong offensive stances in battle, the years had mellowed him some. His second-in-command, Jolly, was good at making sure Bojay didn't take on more than he could handle and the two turned out to work together a lot better than Adama had thought at first.  
  
Adama groaned slightly as he stood up. "Well, I'm off to greet my grandson. And if I feel up to it, I may even go see Count Baltar and rub in the fact that we are close to finishing our journey to Earth. Then I'll go to bed."  
  
*****  
  
Slowly the motley group of space vessels that made up the Colonial Fleet began to take off in the general direction that led to the long sought after Earth. They had to swerve around a large asteroid cluster but there were no worries of collision due to the precautions that had been taken.  
  
Somewhere far behind the fleet, a ship was testing a new experimental long-range scanning device. After a number of tests this large ship altered its course and took a similar path to that which the Colonial Fleet had undertaken.  
  
****  
  
STARBOARD SIDE SHUTTLEBAY OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
A team of technicians crawled over the two Vipers as they attempted to study and take them apart. While normally the techs would be overjoyed with such a project, after hearing of the death of the Leader they were all rather listless. Only the threat of Diana or Lydia kept them to their appointed tasks, but it didn't keep them from gossiping.  
  
"Has anyone seen Lucas?" asked a man sitting in the cockpit of the viper.  
  
"Isn't he back yet?" asked the short, chubby Hispanic-looking tech foreman.  
  
"No, as a matter of fact a lot of people aren't around that should be," pointed out a red haired woman.  
  
"Diana will have the slackers' scales!" spat the foreman with venom, literally.  
  
"They could be trying to fix the communication troubles that have been happening around the mothership since the Explosion," pointed out one of the techs.  
  
"True, but even so, there should be more people around than this. This shuttlebay is practically empty."  
  
"I hear there's been other malfunctions, too, with environmental controls," commented a woman from underneath the craft.  
  
"And I know a few people who went to the medic just because of the shock of the Explosion and the death of the Leader," added a man from the other side of the vessel.  
  
A short, nervous man looked up from the tray of tools he was digging through. "Do you think it could be...the Fifth Column?"   
  
The foreman just shook his head. "After yesterday, nothing surprises me."  
  
Just then a transport vessel followed by eight craft that were identical to the two craft they were dismantling and studying entered the shuttlebay and landed in an area near them. The technicians were understandably startled, since the usual incoming warning siren had not sounded, but no one was hurt. Still, the unannounced landing had made them a little nervous and a number of the technicians turned a questioning gaze at their foreman, who seemed as much at a loss as the rest of them.   
  
The foreman bit his tongue. He looked up at the observation deck but saw that it was strangely empty. He didn't think too much of it since almost everything seemed to be wrong in the last 24 hours. Running his hands down his uniform to ease out the wrinkles, the foreman, as the highest ranging person on the shuttlebay, walked over to the closest vessel, the transport, to see what was going on.  
  
The transport vessel's doors opened slowly and a number of men and women, most dressed in a military green, hurried out and trained weapons on the foreman and the technicians. Others began to spread out around the area, checking for possible hostiles.  
  
The foreman started backstepping until he saw that it just caused more people to train their weapons on him. "You're Humans!" he proclaimed with fear. "What are--Why--There was a cease-fire declared!" he protested desperately.  
  
"I know," answered one of the men. He was a balding, middle-aged man, but he had a persona about him that let those around him know that he was as dangerous as he was determined. "But since that cease-fire a couple of things have come to my attention and I'm hoping someone up here can provide me with more information about them." The man looked around quickly to make sure his men were securing the entrances to the shuttlebay area before turning back to the foreman and the technicians. "Since that explosion outside the mothership yesterday we have had almost no word of what's going on up here. One thing that did get out was that there was an assassination of your big Leader. That and the fact that you are blaming it on some friends of mine."  
  
The foreman gasped as he finally recognized the man in front of him. A man that he and most of the team of technicians had only seen in before in their nightmares. "You--You're the Fixer!"  
  
The man known as 'the Fixer' put on a tight smile. He walked over to the Hispanic-looking Visitor and put his left arm around his shoulder and pulled him close "Please, call me Ham." Tyler turned with the frightened Visitor till they were facing the technicians who were all holding up their hands. "Now, contrary to my reputation, I can be a reasonable man. I realize that not everybody with green blood is my enemy. Just those that would gladly wipe out the Human race."  
  
The foreman swallowed fearfully. All he was aware of was the arm over his shoulders and the voice of the Fixer. He couldn't even look up because of the fear he felt.  
  
Ham Tyler smiled. He was having the effect he wanted. "Now who here thinks that today is a good day to die?"  
  
He was greeted with silence from the group then a short redhead coughed and raised her trembling hand slightly. "Um...it is better to live for tomorrow, but who wants to live forever?"  
  
Ham chuckled to himself. He wasn't sure who came up with those code words but he liked them. Turning to the foreman, Ham saw that he was staring at the redhead in fear and confusion. "What? She said the right thing." He turned to the cute redhead and beckoned her with his finger. "What's your name, Red?"  
  
"Cassie, sir."  
  
"You got guts, Cassie, but don't call me sir. Call me Ham." He looked her over and saw that she was trembling slightly. "Are any of the others reliable?"  
  
She took a quick look back at the others before answering. "None are from my cell group."  
  
Ham nodded. "But they could belong to another cell." He looked hard at the confused technicians. "Well, anyone else belong to the Fifth Column?"  
  
Gasps of shocked exclamations came from the group of Visitors. A few cast angry glances at Cassie, one of the women, who was her close friend, began sobbing, while the rest began stealing suspicious looks at each other.  
  
"No more? Alright." Tyler looked back to see that all the pilots on the Vipers had dismounted.   
  
Suddenly the foreman yelled out a string of words in his own language in anger. Ham turned and slugged him hard in the jaw stunning the alien and dropping him to his knees.  
  
"Was that necessary?"  
  
Ham looked at the Vipers' leader, Boomer, and grinned. "These guys can be very fast when they want to be. The only way to beat them is to be prepared to hit them hard before they hit you." The ex-CIA agent regarded the alien at his feet for a moment then put the muzzle of his weapon at the foreman's temple. "Cassie, what did he just say?"  
  
Cassie swallowed. "He--he called me a traitor."  
  
"Is that all?" Tyler calmly put his weapon back in his holster. "Don't worry about it. I guess even he is entitled to have an opinion even if the fact of it is that you have done more for your people just by joining the Fifth Column than he will have done his entire life."  
  
"He has green blood!"   
  
Tyler was a little surprised at the response of the Viper warriors. He had heard some of their story when they had responded to a signal sent out to them from Chicago. Some of those higher up in the military had decided to send out a signal to them once it was determined that their vessels were not of Visitor origin. He wasn't sure what to make of their story about being a lost colony of man and traveling through space for the last fifteen years but every indication was that they were Human and that counted for a lot to him. Once they had received word by radio signal from Mike Donavon and Juliet Parrish through the Fifth Column about the assassination of the Leader and the possible return to power of Diana, they knew they had to move fast. They also mentioned two of their new friends, Starbuck and Apollo, who were also from the space convoy of Humans from outer space. The only good news that the Fifth Column had was that for some reason many of the internal and external sensors were failing all over the mothership. Being promised a window of opportunity to get onto the mothership undetected, Ham Tyler rallied his forces and went for it. "I forgot that you were unfamiliar with the types of problems we have been having to deal with. Let me give you an introductory course." Ham reached down to the kneeling alien's face and dug his fingers into the alien's chin.  
  
"Hey, now that's enough!" demanded Boomer.  
  
Ham ripped the skin upwards causing the Colonial warriors to flinch in horror. Once they looked back their eyes beheld a different horror. Where the skin had ripped off on the left side of the foreman's face, it exposed a reptilian face beneath. "Now there is our enemies true face."  
  
"Wha--why?" asked Boomer as he and his fellow warriors continued to stare at the torn face and green scales underneath.  
  
Ham held out the torn piece of the mask to them. "To deceive us. To get closer to us before they turned on us. The only reason I can figure that they keep wearing the false human-like covering is for a psychological edge."  
  
"So that's why you had us go through all those medical exams when we first landed."  
  
"Can't be too careful." Ham pulled the foreman to his feet and pushed him back into the group of technicians. Ham nodded to his friend Chris Faber, Ham's long time friend and only true partner. The large man came forward with his weapon still pointed at the group of technicians. "Chris, take this lot to a room and seal them in for now."  
  
The big man nodded and motioned with his gun to the group of aliens. They understood his unspoken request and quickly went where he directed them.  
  
"Cassie, I'm going to need you to lead some of these men to certain areas of the ship. Can you do that?"  
  
The redhead nodded.  
  
"I also need to meet up with more of the Fifth Column. Do you know where Philip would be?"  
  
Cassie gasped. "I--I only know a few members. I didn't even know that Philip was a member."  
  
One of the men chuckled. "I thought the CIA taught their agents not to reveal important bits of information?"  
  
"Shut up, O'Neill," snapped Tyler. Ham knew that Jack was still chuckling at his expense, but he was right. He had made a mistake. "Okay, Cassie. You are with me until we get to Philip. Then you're his problem."  
  
Cassie relaxed visibly. Even though Philip was a high-ranking officer, he was well known for his compassion. She didn't think he would mind someone like her knowing of his involvement in the Fifth Column even if she wasn't part of his cell group.  
  
"O'Neill, you have your orders. Take your team and move out."  
  
*****  
  
HALLS OF THE MOTHERSHIP LEADING TO DIANA'S SPECIAL CELLS  
The Kai stumbled as the guard behind her pushed her in order to hurry her up. The young Human beside her helped to steady her but she brushed him off. She had little like for Humans regardless of their good intentions, especially those wearing Starfleet uniforms. Kai Wynn knew that even now she was being watched back on Deep Space Nine thanks to the special view portals created by Q, so she could not and would not show any weakness now. Eventually those on Bajor may even see the recordings being made of her current actions, so she had to prove herself to be as strong as she had always proclaimed she was.  
  
She looked ahead of her, trying to see Major Kira, but she was too far in the front with the alien lieutenant that had taken a liking to her. The Kai shuddered as she remembered another prisoner line she had had to march in and another lieutenant that had taken a liking towards her. It didn't help knowing that underneath the Human-like skin were scales. She shuddered as she thought of the Cardassians again.  
  
"Are you all right?" asked Harry Kim. "You're shaking."  
  
She started to ignore him but then she realized that even that response would be recorded on the viewers on Deep Space Nine that Q creature had created. "I'm fine. I was just... thinking."  
  
"We'll get out of this. Don't worry."  
  
"I have every bit of faith that the Prophets will see us through this," she coolly remarked.  
  
The guard behind her pushed more roughly and she fell onto her hands and knees. She gasped in pain as her knees and the palms of her hands hit the hard metal floor.   
  
"She's an old woman and she isn't feeling well!" yelled Harry in her defense.  
  
The guard just laughed. "Then perhaps we'll have her for lunch if she doesn't get back on her feet!"  
  
The Kai struggled to get to her feet. She didn't even have the option of accepting help from the Human because the Visitor guard had pushed him against the wall and had his rifle shoved in Kim's ribs. As she attempted to get up from the floor she noticed some figures on the other side of a large ventilation vent. She also noticed that whoever was there seemed to be ready to attack the guards with weapons drawn. She made eye contact with one of them and she knew immediately what she should do.  
  
Kai Wynn grabbed her chest and fell back to the ground with a cry of pain. Keeping her eyes closed and gnashing her teeth together, she made the most painful noises she could. One of the guards knelt down by her side but she ignored his efforts to check on her. Some of the other guards gathered around to see what was happening. Finally, the Kai heard someone tromping from the front of the group.  
  
"What happened here?" Kai heard Lieutenant James demand.  
  
"She--she just fell over and started having some kind of attack, sir."  
  
"That's a lie!" shouted Harry Kim. "He pushed her down!"  
  
There was the sound of someone being backhanded and she heard the Human Kim fall down near her.  
  
Then chaos erupted. She heard the ventilation vent swung open and the blasting of weapons began. The only reason the Kai had heard it was that she was listening for it. As she lay there, a body fell on top of hers. She could tell that whoever it was was dead; the body didn't move. She began to pray as she hadn't since she was young.  
  
Her eyes opened to a firefight going on all around her, and immediately she noticed the unconscious figure of Harry Kim. As she struggled to free one of her arms to push the dead Visitor off her chest, she noticed one of her companions, the one in white tights that the female doctor and the half-Klingon had become enamoured with, was fighting quite effectively. He was using some type of kick fighting style she hadn't seen before but was probably very appropriate considering his hands were cuffed together. He knocked one opponent down, then kicked out at his other opponent, Lieutenant James, to knock his weapon hand away. Then he went to tackle the Visitor lieutenant, but as soon as they touched, the Human was gone and his cuffs fell to the ground.  
  
"Oh boy," mumbled Lieutenant James as the Kai watched him get his bearings. He quickly used his laser pistol to bring down three of his own guards.   
  
Seeing that defeat was inevitable and that their own lieutenant had turned against them, the three remaining guards quickly surrendered.  
  
"Drop it, James!" responded one of the men that had come to their rescue.  
  
'James' looked a bit confused but dropped his weapon onto the floor.  
  
Suddenly a man appeared, the man with the shockingly loud clothes that the Kai had seen disappear when they were still in the library. "Hey, you lugheads! Stop pointing those things at him! My friend is in there!"  
  
One man, on seeing the object with the flashing bright lights in Al's hand, attempted to tackle him, but instead leapt through Al Calavicci's holographic body and into the metal wall behind him.  
  
"That's what you get for not listening to me, ya nossel!" Al remarked snidely to the stunned man lying on the ground.  
  
More weapons turned toward him and the Visitor lieutenant, regardless of his non-violent intent.  
  
"Wait!" Kai Wynn cried out as she managed to finally push the dead body off of her. "I believe the brightly clad buffoon may be right!"  
  
"Who are you calling a buffoon, lady? And take a good look at the robes you're wearin' before commenting on my duds!"  
  
The Kai ignored him as her attention was drawn to the rapid approach of Major Kira. Kira stepped by the some of the newcomers and stepped over a few bodies in her attempt to get to the Kai. "Dr. Crusher, come quick!" Kira kneeled down next to the older woman who just shooed her away as she tried to regain her feet on her own.  
  
The Visitor lieutenant in question coughed to get everybody's attention, even though he had more attention focused on him than he preferred--especially with all the weapons pointed at him. "Um, I'm going to try something that I haven't really done before. At least not like this. It might take most of you by surprise so, uh--" He noticed that everyone who had a weapon trained on him gripped that weapon a little tighter. "Maybe I could have worded that a little better."  
  
"Sam, I think you better get out of there. These guys really don't seem to like whoever you are right now."  
  
"Listen to him," spoke up the Kai. "I saw what he did."  
  
"Okay," responded the lieutenant. "Here goes everything." To everyone's surprise, they saw a man dressed all in white walk out of the lieutenant and quickly to the side. Lieutenant James stood there for a moment dazed and confused. One minute he had been fighting with one of the humans and the next they surround him.  
  
"That was... incredible!" remarked one of the men who had come to their rescue. He held out his hand to the man in white. "My name is Donovan. Mike Donovan."  
  
"Sam Beckett." They gave each other a hearty handshake as they tried to gain some insight in each other. "And this is Al. In case you are wondering, my friends and I are here to help you out with a problem you may or may not already know about." He waved B'Elanna and Vash to come over. "I think they can explain it better than I can. I'm just one of the hired hands."  
  
The Kai rubbed a sore spot on her back as she watched Dr. Crusher administer to Harry Kim with a hypospray. "Will he be all right?"  
  
"Except for a black eye, a large bump on the back of his head and a nasty headache, he should be just fine."  
  
"Good"  
  
"I can't believe it," remarked Kira. The Kai just looked at her questioningly. "You faked being hurt!"  
  
Kai Wynn nodded and gave a whimsical smile. "But of course. You do what you can to bring down those who oppose you."  
  
"But--"  
  
"But nothing. I did it and it worked." She adjusted her robe to straighten it. She grimaced at the spots of dark green blood that she found on it. "Besides I've had to do far more dangerous things when the Cardassians occupied Bajor." She suddenly remembered the view portals watching their every move from Deep Space Nine. She smiled. Sisko wouldn't be the only one to win the hearts of her people with daring feats.  
  
Harry groaned in protest as the ingredients of the hypospray brought him to consciousness. "I feel like I've been trying out one of Tom's holodeck programs again."  
  
"If this is the type of holodeck programs your friend likes to revel in then I suggest you decline from now on," responded the Kai with a parental tone.  
  
Harry looked at her in astonishment. "I thought...you're all right?"  
  
"Of course I am. I told you the Prophets would see us through this," with more kindness this time.  
  
*****  
  
HALLS ON THE STERN SIDE OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
The Leader staggered down the hall. His head was reeling from the hours of fighting to free his mind from the half-breed, Elizabeth. The grazing shot from the human idiot chasing him had not helped matters either.  
  
As he turned into a different corridor the human behind him fired another shot that missed him completely.  
  
Gasping for breath, he suddenly found himself surrounded by armed soldiers. They were saying something to him but he wasn't quite sure what at the moment. Then he realized something else -- these were his soldiers!  
  
"Take your hands off of me!"   
  
Two of the soldiers who recognized him complied immediately and helped to pull off those who hadn't been as quick to realize who they were grabbing. The Leader steadied himself with a hand against the wall as he tried to get his bearings.  
  
Just then George Fox rounded the corner and ran into one the soldiers.  
  
"Seize him!" shouted the Leader. All of his anger at his own soldiers was forgotten at this sudden change in roles with his pursuer.  
  
"My -- my lord, we had -- had thought you had been assassinated!" exclaimed the ranking officer.  
  
"Do I look like I've been assassinated to you!?!"  
  
The officer couldn't help running his eye over the Leader and seeing his ragged appearance and the green blood on his arm.  
  
The Leader turned away to examine his new prize. He caught his breath and drew himself to his full height. "I'm going to take much joy in torturing you," he said with a grin to George Fox.  
  
Fox struggled to break free from the two red-uniformed soldiers, but he found it pointless against their superior alien strength. So, he would just have to wait for the right time and meanwhile divert his captors' attention elsewhere. "We'll see. That is, if your would-be killers don't find you first."  
  
The cursed in his own tongue and turned back to the officer. "Where is she? Where is that she-crivit?"  
  
"Great Leader, who do you mean?" asked the terrified officer.  
  
"Diana! Who else would dare try to kill me?"  
  
The officer gasped in surprise and fear. "I -- She had been arrested for that crime, great Leader, but--"  
  
The Leader growled. "But?"  
  
The officer knew he had no choice but to continue. "Lydia freed her when she found evidence that Philip and the Fifth Column had conspired with the Humans to kill you--"  
  
The Leader roared in anger and everyone else leapt back in terror. "I'll have her scales for this!"  
  
Fox tried to make a break for it but one of the guards slammed him against the wall and the FSA man, though hurt, feigned being unconscious.  
  
"Take me to Lydia immediately!"  
  
*****  
  
CRYOGENIC STORAGE AREA  
Jack placed the blanket respectively over woman's body. He leaned down with a cloth and wiped away the gel from her eyes and ears. "What is she doing in this part? She's just a kid." He looked her over again. "Well, I guess she could pass for eighteen but not by much."  
  
"A lot of kids have been joining up. I hear that the recruiters have orders to take anyone who they think can actually survive in the field a few days." The doctor listened carefully to his stethoscope for a moment to check her vitals. "Personally, I think most of them just end up as cannon fodder." The doctor was busy cleaning his equipment as he prepared to move to his next patient. "Well, I opened her airways. She should be coming around in a minute or two," Chris responded to Jack O'Neill's unasked question.  
  
"Any problems yet?"  
  
"None. Once you understand how it all works, it's a very simple procedure to do. She will have been the eighth person that I've revived." He paused by the cart that his equipment was on. "I do wish that Tyler would have let us bring up more than five doctors. We'd get a lot more up and running that way."  
  
"Be glad he went for this wild idea of your at all, Dr. Carter."  
  
Chris just shrugged. "We all got to do our part and that. Besides, he'll probably give you the credit since you were able to find the section where they kept all the hearty military types." Neither of them really cared about the credit. This was about saving the Human species and getting the Lizards off of Earth once and for all. Chris spotted one of his men waving for him so he mumbled a quick 'see ya' and left O'Neill with the woman.  
  
Jack began wiping the young blond woman's hands clean when he noticed her eyes fluttering open.  
  
"Where...?"  
  
"Relax. You're with friends."  
  
She groaned. "Last thing I remember...last thing I remember..." She had been on patrol with her team. Suddenly laser flashes were everywhere. Friends of hers had fallen down stunned or dead at her feet. She heard a sound and... Her eyes opened wide and she tried to sit up but O'Neill kept her down.  
  
"Whoa! Friend! I'm a friend!"  
  
"What's happening?" She demanded as she looked around. Hanging everywhere above her were large white gel packs. Inside each gel pack, a man, woman or child was being stored cryogenically. The most horrible thing was that she knew that the people were being stored for freshness. Visitors liked to eat their food alive.  
  
O'Neill decided he needed to be up front with her right away. It would probably be the only way to get her to pull herself together enough to be of any use. "We've snuck on board this ship. We are trying to free those that have been cryogenically stored, especially those with a military background, and then we'll try to take over this vessel."  
  
The woman looked at him like he was crazy. "Are you kidding?"  
  
"Well, it will at least give those of you who would have been lunch someday a chance at some payback."  
  
"Huh, it's just crazy enough to work."  
  
"Glad you like it. What's your name?"  
  
"Private Samantha Carter. But call me Sam."  
  
"Good to met you, Sam. I'm Captain Jack O'Neill. Unless there is a superior around, you can call me Jack." They shook hands. Both ignored the oozing gel around their fingers. "There are uniforms over there in the corner as well as weapons. We only have the Visitor red uniforms available. We didn't think to bring spare clothes with us so you should be very grateful for our finding them."  
  
She noticed a few people over there already dressing. "Any idea when we could expect Visitors?"  
  
"At any time. All the more reason for you to get yourself outfitted and armed. Then, when you are ready you could give up a hand getting some more people thawed."  
  
She sat up and coughed a little of the slimy stuff she had been stored in out of her lungs. Jack left her to go over to another person just waking up, only this time it was a tall black man. She turned away to focus on her own circumstances, but everywhere above her were more people trapped in the Visitors frozen meal packaging. "Oh God," she mumbled as she took in the view. Her being captured by the Visitors should have been the end it -- of everything. But now she had a second chance. And she was going to start it on the right foot.  
  
Getting down on her knees while keeping the blanket tightly wrapped around herself, she lowered her head. "Lord...I...It's been a really long time since I've turned to you." Tears flowed freely but she began to feel a lot better as she continued to pray. Better than she had in years.  
  
*****  
  
List of Characters in this section  
STAR TREK:  
Dr. Beverly Crusher - Medical doctor on the starship Enterprise  
  
Vash - A lady archeologist who would go from planet to planet usually searching through sites in which she wasn't allowed. Also a brief love interest for Captain Picard and also Q   
  
Major Kira Nerys - Second in Command on the spacestation Deep Space Nine  
  
Kai Wynn - The religious leader to the Bajoran people   
  
B'Elanna Torres - Chief Engineer on the starship Voyager  
  
Harry Kim - Communication Officer on the starship Voyager  
  
  
DOCTOR WHO:  
The Doctor - The fourth Doctor in the series. He is a time lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space  
  
Leela - A warrior from a primitive tribe on another world descended from stranded astronauts  
  
K-9 - A small dog shaped robot that has a very sophisticated computer, sensory, and weapons systems  
  
  
V- THE SERIES:  
Mike Donovan - Former news cameraman who quickly became one of the main targets for the Visitors  
  
Julie Parrish - A young biomedical student who became one of the leaders of the L.A. Resistance  
  
Kyle Bates - Became a member of the Resistance but often at odds with those around him. He is also the boyfriend of Elizabeth  
  
Elizabeth - The first and only crossbred between the Visitors and Humans, also known as the 'star child'. She has a variety of powers but is still inexperienced with them  
  
Willie - A Visitor technician that managed to join the Human Resistance  
  
Thelma - Willie's fianc‚e, with who he had just been reunited  
  
Philip - One of those high in command on the mothership, Philip also became a secret member of the Fifth Column, those Visitors opposed to the fighting against the Humans. He also became a contact between the Fifth Column and the Human Resistance  
  
Diana - Think evil, manipulative, intelligent, and power hungry.  
  
Lt. James - Diana's right hand man  
  
Lydia - Diana's rival for power  
  
The Leader - Just arrived to Earth, the Leader is a sadistic tyrant that has used his mental abilities to make his people love and follow him  
  
Ham Tyler - An ex-CIA agent who had long supported the L.A. Resistance  
  
Chris Faber - Long time partner of Ham Tyler  
  
  
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA:  
Commander Adama - Leader of the Twelve Colonies of Man and hopes to bring them to the legendary Thirteenth Colony on Earth  
  
Capt. Apollo - Leader of the Vipers, the fighter pilots that protect the last of the Twelve Colonies of Man  
  
Lt. Starbuck - Friend of Apollo's and fellow Warrior. Also a gambler and girl chaser  
Boomer - Friend of Apollo's and fellow Warrior  
  
Boxey - Apollo's adopted son and a young recruit of the Viper squads  
  
Sheba - The current second in command on the Galactica  
  
Bojay - A former warrior who is now the commander on the Pegasus  
  
Jolly - A former warrior who is now second in command on the Pegasus  
  
  
STARMAN:  
Paul Forrester - An alien on the run from the government who just wants to be with his family. He also has powers   
  
Scott Hayden - The son of Paul Forrester and Jenny Hayden. He is still a teenager and just learning how to use his powers  
  
Jenny Hayden - A Human who bore a child with an alien and has been on the run ever since from the government  
  
George Fox - A federal agent who is determined to prove himself by bringing in the 'starman'  
  
  
QUANTUM LEAP:  
Dr. Samuel Beckett - A time traveler who had gotten stuck in his project and found that in order to travel through time he would have to change things in peoples lives  
  
Al Calavicci - A friend of Sam's who helped give him information and advice while appearing to him as a hologram  
  
  
STARGATE - SG-1:   
*Alternate universe before the stargate was ever used and before any of the characters ever met.  
Daniel Jackson - A LA college student who joined the Resistance and using his language skills to create unbreakable codes. Once he was caught, Diana was willing to try breaking him to get his codes deciphered  
  
Gen. Hammond - In charge of the United States military operations in the southwest against the Visitor invasion, Hammond became a challenge to the Visitors until he was captured specifically for Diana.   
  
Jack O'Neill - A young captain with a wife and baby boy at home, Jack had been given the responsibility of transporting supplies out of Chicago to the military zones  
  
Capt. Samantha Carter - An eighteen-year-old young woman who joined the military with her friends to help fight the Visitors 


	4. 

THE HALLS ON THE STERN SIDE OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
Paul Forrester pulled the unconscious form of the Doctor's female companion away from the Borg drones with the help of his son. The little robotic dog, under the direction of the Doctor, wheeled itself between the father and son and the oncoming drones and fired a destructive ray from its muzzle into key areas of the ceiling, causing it to collapse onto their enemy and block their path.  
  
"Paul!" Jenny cried.  
  
"We're fine," answered her alien husband. His eyes darted around taking a quick survey. "Help Kyle with Elizabeth! We need to get out of here, fast!"  
  
She nodded in agreement, then turned to go when Kyle was trying to keep a swaying Elizabeth on her feet.  
  
"Doctor? What are you doing?" asked Paul.  
  
The Doctor had climbed in amongst the fallen wreckage to examine one of the fallen drones. "This could be vitally important," he commented absentmindedly as he fished his sonic screwdriver out of one of his pockets. He didn't even stop for what he was after when the Borg began to force their way through the rubble. Because of his trust in his robotic companion, he allowed himself to totally ignore K-9's efforts to continue causing the ceiling to come crashing down just a little ways from him.  
  
"Master, I am quickly using up my energy reserves," reported the faithful metal unit.  
  
"Let me help you," offered Paul. He raised one of his hands that he wasn't using to drag Leela and focused. He sent out a wave of energy that passed through the rubble and hit the drones, thus knocking them all of their collective feet. "That should get us and extra minute or two since they seem to be so slow moving."  
  
"Ah! I have it!" The Doctor proudly held up the small metal piece that he had taken from the fallen drone.  
  
"What is it?" asked Scott.  
  
"Something that should be able to tell us what the Borg have been up to here on this ship." He slipped both the sonic screwdriver and the piece from the Borg into separate pockets of his coat.  
  
"Master, the Borg have begun converting this ship into a vessel that will meet their needs."  
  
The Doctor's eyes widened. "But of course! The rising humidity and temperature should have clued me in earlier. They didn't come all the way to this ship just to assimilate the technology and people on board. They want the ship. How could I have been such an idiot?"  
  
"Unknown, Master."  
  
The Doctor cast a glance at the metal unit. "Careful, K-9. I think you are developing a dangerous personality flaw."  
  
"Shall I do a diagnosis on myself, Master?"  
  
The Doctor considered the wall of wreckage before him for signs of the drones progress on coming through from the other side. "Maybe later. Right now I really think we should find another place to be before those drones come through all that."  
  
*****  
  
A FIFTH COLUMN SECRET MEETING SPOT  
Starbuck stretched from his seated position. His backside was becoming numb from lack of blood flow. Usually he liked his duty assignments, but then most of them involved action and adventure; not sitting around watching a door and the early warning system. Still, there was at least one nice perk.  
  
"So what do Klingon women like in a guy?"  
  
B'Elanna laughed. "You really don't want to know."  
  
"Sure I do. I've had a few relationships with alien women before." He leaned a little closer to where she sat and gave her his best smile. "And I found each one to be delightfully exotic in her own way."  
  
B'Elanna frowned. She wasn't to keen on this Human's advances towards her. "Well, my people are a warrior race with a lot of fighting involved in everything. For Klingons there is usually a lot of hitting, biting and scratching involved in just the initial foreplay. In the end both parties are usually treated for bites, gashes, torn ligaments and possibly broken bones. Every now and then if it has been a truly rough session, one of the couple could be hospitalized for awhile, possibly in a coma." She flashed him a flirtatious smile at which he recoiled. "Is that exotic enough for you?"  
  
"Ah, well. I've actually got a girlfriend back home, but, ah, I just like to hear about what I'm missing."  
  
B'Elanna held up her hand to show the ring on her finger. "I just got engaged myself."  
  
"Oh," responded Starbuck awkwardly. "Well I'm sure he's a fine Klingon fellow and that--"  
  
"Oh, he's not Klingon." She took a sip of her water, then set it back down. "He's Human, like you."  
  
"--Uh--"   
  
"'Course I'm actually half Human. About the only thing I have in common with my Klingon ancestors is my temper. And even that is considered mild by Klingon standards."  
  
Starbuck took a sip from his own cup. This conversation was going way beyond his control. He had a distinct feeling that this woman with the wrinkled forehead was toying with him but he had no desire to test the truth of any of her statements. It was just supposed to be a good way to pass the time as they guarded the entrance to this hiding spot of the Visitors Fifth Column while everyone else got some sleep. About now he was almost hoping the Visitors would just come and capture them again. The Colonial Warrior sighed and decided to just play it safe and tactfully move the conversation to more peaceful subjects. "So, why did Dr. Crusher react as she did when she saw me?"  
  
B'Elanna's grin slowly left her face. "Well, it's kind of difficult to say."  
  
Sensing that he had somehow turned the tables on her and now had her in the uneasy spot, he decided to press his advantage. "Try me. I'd like to know."  
  
She fidgeted a moment in her seat. "Remember when we told you that we travel to different parallel worlds to stop the spread of the Borg?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And that we have help brought in from a couple of other parallel worlds to help?"  
  
"Like Sam Beckett and the hologram Al. Yeah, I know all that. Are you going somewhere with all of this?"  
  
B'Elanna sighed. "On the last parallel world that was rescued, one of the guys brought in to help looked exactly like you."  
  
Starbuck laughed. "It's not like I have a copyright on these rugged good looks of mine." He stopped laughing when he noticed that she still seemed bothered by something. "How much like me did he look, exactly?"  
  
"Down to the same retinal patterns. Your DNA also has some extreme similarities."  
  
"So...does this good-looking guy have a name? Or is that the same as mine, too."  
  
She looked at her PADD for a second. "Templeton Peck a.k.a. 'Face'. A freelance mercenary. I guess he was quite the ladies' man."  
  
"'Was?'"  
  
"Um, that's where the awkward part comes in." She felt sad for bringing it up, but she knew that if it were about her she would definitely want to know about it. "He...died fighting the Borg."  
  
He was stunned. It was like the life was just spilling out of him and he didn't know what to do about it. He managed to grasp that somewhere in another parallel universe there had been another him but..."How?" he mumbled.  
  
The half Klingon woman silently scolded herself. She was never good at these kinds of things. She was used to letting her temper flare and getting a lot of room for herself. Now she found herself stuck in a situation where she had to find some way of comforting this guy. "The Borg turned him into a drone. Then when all the drones were... destroyed, he was, too."  
  
"And he looked just like me. Weird."  
  
"Do you want--"  
  
"Have you come across any other duplicates of people?"  
  
"Uh...a few. Why?"  
  
"Well, it's just that you got me thinking. You know that Visitor guy Philip?"  
  
She looked over to Philip's sleeping form on the far side of the room. He had fallen asleep talking to Beverly Crusher about their different races and the possibilities of different alien cultures being able to live with one another in close proximity. "Yes," she answered.  
  
"He looks exactly like a Colonial Warrior I used to know named Ortega. Could Philip be a duplicate of Ortega?"  
  
"I rather doubt it. Remember, even though Philip has an appearance as Human as you or I, it is actually just a fake covering to hide his reptilian features. Is this Ortega a friend of yours?"  
  
"Not by a longshot. We were rivals. And in the end I was even framed for his murder." He took another sip of his drink. "That's probably why I don't like Philip too much."   
  
They sat in silence for a few moments before the Colonial Warrior broke it. "Is it time to wake the others for their turn at watch?"  
  
"Got another hour."  
  
"Oh." He looked around the room but couldn't find anything to distract him. "So what's this fianc‚ of yours like?"  
  
"Tom's a pilot. Headstrong, carefree, and adventurous. When I first met him I hated him, but...he grew on me in time." She sighed. "Personally, I never thought I would ever find someone to settle down with. Most people are turned off by my half-Klingon aspect. Then of course there is my temper." She chuckled to herself.  
  
"Sometimes it can be difficult to settle down even if you do find the right one," commented Starbuck. He thought of Cassiopea and all the years he had held off getting Sealed to her.  
  
She nodded. "The key is once you find them, not to wait till it is too late."  
  
Starbuck nodded. But he still wondered if it was too late for him like it had been for Templeton Peck.  
  
*****  
  
LYDIA'S OFFICE  
Lydia stared in frustration at the monitor on her desk. No matter what she did the areas of communication on the ship seemed to dwindle. A couple of hours ago it was just a small part of the ship which could have been a problem concerning wiring. But now almost 12% of the ship on the stern side was incommunicado. There was a report that one soldier came running from the area muttering incoherently about the walking dead, but she just dismissed it as a young fool experimenting with Earth narcotics again and wrote him up for a reprimand. What really troubled her was a report that Lt. James and his prisoners were missing. In all honesty, she could care less about whatever happened to Lt. James but she didn't need the added problem of a bunch of escaped prisoners running around right now. And the only reason Diana didn't suspect Lydia of James's disappearance was because of the mind-controlled guards that were watching her every move.  
  
She looked up from her desk as the door open. She saw a Visitor there who didn't have the fake Human skin on that everyone else wore. She was about to reprimand him, even though he was the most attractive male she had seen in quite a while, when she suddenly recognized him. Behind the imposing figure of the Leader she could see six soldiers coming in carrying the unconscious Human.  
  
"Lydia! You have much to answer for!" yelled the Leader.  
  
"M-my lord! I thought you were dead! We all did!"  
  
"Is that the only excuse you have for your actions?" he demanded.  
  
Lydia swallowed fearfully. She had no problem turning against Diana; the trouble was how to do it in front of her mind-controlled bodyguards and live. The bodyguards is question stood there with looks of confusion. Lydia figured she'd have to do something before they did or she would never get a chance to do anything ever again.  
  
"Nothing to say in your defense? How unlike you," sneered the Leader.  
  
"Actually I do have a defense. It's just all up here," she replied while tapping her forehead. Meanwhile she thought as loudly as she could at the Leader, DIANA HAS CONTROL OVER THE MINDS OF MY BODYGUARDS! SHE IS THE ONE THAT TRIED TO KILL YOU!  
  
The Leader winced at her loud broadcast. It was then that she noticed his tired and haggard appearance. Even his scales had lost some of their luster.   
  
The Leader gathered his strength for a moment then unleashed a mental onslaught at the bodyguards in question. All four guards spasmed once and fell limp to the floor. He turned his attention back to Lydia. "Now where is she?" he demanded.  
  
She didn't need him to clarify his question. Diana was the one he wanted and that was just fine with Lydia. "There have been an increasing number of problems happening around the ship so she decided to look into it personally." She let him mull that over for a few seconds before adding, "Philip was arrested for your...for the assassination attempt." She flinched at the glare he gave her. "He seemed to have a surprisingly close relationship with the Human Resistance leaders. It seemed only natural to believe that he was a Fifth Column member." She averted her eyes from him. She tried to find something else interesting to look at, like the unconscious Human on the floor. "And then when Philip escaped with a number of other important Human prisoners--"  
  
"Philip had nothing to do with my attempted murder," rumbled the Leader as he moved to stand over her private food display. "And you should know better than to lie or even to stretch the truth around me." He grabbed a large tarantula. "Are these poisonous?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, my lord. But not toxic."  
  
"Edible?"  
  
"A delicacy, my lord."  
  
He popped it in his mouth whole and swallowed it whole. "You soldiers. Wait outside until I call you." He didn't even bother to watch as they hurried to follow his order. He then looked over the various beverages that were available, frowned at not knowing and not trusting those that he didn't recognize, he settled on selecting a mild drink from his home world, Sirius IV. He gave the unconscious guards another considering look. "Diana was supposed to stir things up here, but not this much."  
  
"You--you wanted her to--to cause trouble?" Diana was good for trouble. She broke peoples' wills for fun. She had even brought Lydia's brother to Earth for sacrificing in a cannibalistic ritual just to gain leverage over her. She even blew up a shuttle Lydia was supposed to be on. Philip also had had numerous close calls thanks to Diana. Lydia was good at treachery, but for Diana it was an art form.  
  
"Certainly. Back home on Sirius IV she quickly became my favorite because of all the deadly games she played to rise to the top at everything. Including my attention." He sighed. Stepping over one of the fallen bodyguards, he took a seat and sat wearily down. "Then after a while of being my favorite, there were no more conquest for her to make. She became moody and our love became stagnant. So I sent her here. To Earth. Figuring that if she had some worthwhile enemies she would become the villainous woman that I was drawn to before." He laughed, which startled Lydia. "Little did I know how much she would blossom out here so far from home."  
  
"What will you do with her now?" she asked.  
  
"Discipline her. Teach her the error of her ways. Then I'll see if there is anything I wish to salvage."  
  
"You'll spare her life?" asked Lydia in shock. "After what she tried to do to you?"  
  
He chuckled. He wasn't used to being so open with his thoughts with someone. He kind of liked it. "I'm getting up there in years. Even if I don't show it yet. I need to find a mate worthy of bearing our eggs."  
  
Lydia's eyes widened in disbelief. "You think Diana would make a good mother?!?"  
  
He laughed at the very idea. "Another can fill the duty of the actual child rearing. Diana is only fit for the breeding."  
  
"Of course, my lord."  
  
"Philip actually is a member of the Fifth Column, by the way."  
  
Lydia let out a heavy breath of relief that she didn't realize she had been holding. "Then we were right to arrest him. He was a traitor."  
  
"He was a member only because I let him be one."  
  
Lydia was confused. "My lord, I don't understand."  
  
The Leader contemplated the frantic two-inch centipede between his fingers. "When you led my forces back to Earth and recovered Diana, I realized I had a rare opportunity. I did a little more research and learned of Martin and his defection to the Humans. I also learned of how Martin died at Diana's hands as he sought to prevent her escape." He took a sip of the mild wine to wash down the wiggling centipede. "I knew that by sending Martin's brother, Philip, to Earth to investigate all the strange goings-on here I was sure to stir Diana to some mischief."  
  
"So Philip was merely a catalyst. But then what of his involvement with the Fifth Column?"  
  
"Purely his own doing. One that I had not expected, mind you. Before he left for Earth, I spent an afternoon with Philip conditioning his mind and will to be completely faithful to me."  
  
"And he still joined. Why?" Everyone knew of the Leader's mental abilities and how he would sometimes use them to condition someone for his purposes. No one complained. At least not for long. He was the Leader after all.  
  
"My own fault. I encouraged the belief in him that I was a kind and benevolent ruler. That is why he sent messages back to Sirius IV telling me of his belief that Visitors and Humans could co-exist together. He also informed me of the growing number of my people who also held this belief who were joining the Fifth Column. I encouraged him to join to see if it was actually possible to live together with these Humans. He had no idea of my true intentions. I learned more from him then I ever did from either your or Diana's reports. He was a very useful spy even if he didn't know that that was what he was doing for me."  
  
"So he's actually trying to serve a false version of you that he has in his mind. And in his mind that Leader would not be part of the genocide of a sentient species." It was all starting to make sense to her now. There was no way someone as noble as Philip could maintain his rank in the Visitor military without backing by the Leader. But still one thing puzzled her. "Why are you telling me all this?"  
  
The Leader gave her a toothy grin. "Why, to answer your questions and make you comfortable. It's so much easier that way to modify your mind that way. Don't you agree?"  
  
She nodded in understanding. It made complete sense to her. Even though a small part of her was screaming in defiance inside, she knew that she would follow her leader wherever he went and do whatever he wanted.  
  
"After all," he chuckled predatorily, "I have to have somebody I can trust around here."  
  
On the floor near the door lay the supposedly unconscious body of George Fox who had been listening very intently. He was also very aware that there were no weapons at all near him and that he didn't want to do anything to bring himself to the green scaly alien's attention.  
  
*****  
  
ARMORY NEAR CRYOGENIC STORAGE AREA  
Twenty people in red uniforms quickly moved through the doors of the armory and past the four knocked out guards. The last four to enter each grabbed the feet of the fallen guards and dragged them inside the armory.   
  
Samantha Carter guided her cart down the aisle that Jack O'Neill directed. The armory was a lot larger than she had imagined it would be. People on either side of the cart opened it up and began to move the supplies of laser weapons onto it. Samantha went to load her side with the replacement energy cell clips so that they wouldn't have to worry about running out of ammunition.   
  
"Good idea, Sam. Behr. Wolf. Hoffman. Grab extra clips for each of the carts. If only one cart gets back, at least we will have some extra ammo for the weapons that make it."   
  
Samantha concentrated on her task. The carts had already been used before she had been revived to transport the Visitor uniforms that she now wore. Unfortunately, the uniform she wore had sleeves too long for her, and whatever material it had been made out of would not allow her to roll them up and give her complete access to her hands. In other words, she was dropping things.  
  
"Careful with those, private," snapped O'Neill from where he was overseeing everything.  
  
"Sorry sir," apologized Private Carter.  
  
The cart's original purpose was to transport clean uniforms and linen around the mothership. When the Human invaders found them, they were used to bring the uniforms to clothe the newly-awaken people being brought out of cryo-sleep. Now it was decided that they would be the perfect tools to bring more weapons to the cryogenic storage area. The cart opened up on either side and revealed shelves that were perfect for placing clothing and linen. It didn't have the capacity to hold many laser rifles, but the laser pistols were packed in quite nicely.  
  
Samantha worked hard on loading her segment of the cart, but she kept finding that she was having more and more trouble with her sleeves. She took a moment to breathe.  
  
"You all right, Sam?" asked O'Neill.  
  
"Just--just needed a second."  
  
"Right. Relax. Everything is moving smoothly. Just try to do your part and everything will work out just fine."  
  
Samantha almost chuckled. Concern and kindness were not usually the first response a military superior would give to a soldier under them in a combat situation. But then, most soldiers weren't just taken from the Visitors' lunch menu, defrosted less than four hours ago, and then thrust into a very dangerous situation deep in enemy territory. A couple of people that had been revived utterly refused to help and just sat along the sidelines watching wide-eyed at all the activity around them. Two others had snapped completely and attacked anyone near them. One of those had died of a broken neck as they attempted to restrain him.  
  
Just deal with this for now, she told herself. I'll have plenty of time to worry about the future later. She began packing more clips and she could hear O'Neill encouraging someone else at another cart.  
  
As she put the last clip on the shelf, she moved over to help finish loading the laser rifles and pistols. Silently she prayed. We could really use some type of miracle down here. And if you could, could you make it something powerful and noticeable so that I know it when I see it. Sorry to put this all to you like this, God. Especially with me just starting to pray to you regularly. Personally I think us new believers need the bigger miracles to encourage us. Hope you think so as well.  
  
"Alright, everybody." Jack O'Neill stood at the door taking visual inventory over everybody present. "Close the lids on the carts. From here it's just a simple trip back to the Cryogenic area. Try to keep me from being a liar, people. Let's go!"  
  
*****  
  
THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
The use of the 'magnetic grapplers' was simple in theory. To free the grappler from the metallic hull, you simply push on it, which turns the powerful magnet off for two seconds, so that you can reposition it to a new place. Ham Tyler had four of these grapplers attached to his limbs as he made his way along the underside of the motherside hanging upside down.   
  
Grunting as he moved the grappler on his left knee a little closer, Ham was finally in the position that he wanted. He carefully connected his safety harness to the grapplers on the hull from his hands so he could work on the access panel before him. Behind him, he heard Boomer and two of Ham's own recruits slowly catching up to him. He wasn't able to catch any of the words that Boomer was mumbling to himself, but he was sure that they weren't very appreciative towards him.  
  
He opened the access panel in front of him then brought out a small flashlight. "Let see. Where is it? Ah. Good." He pulled a lever off to one side, which caused the grille in the access panel to move aside. He reached a hand up into the opening to grab a hold of the ladder. It was almost out of his reach because he was being held back by his safety harness so made to lengthen the rope holding him. That's when the flashlight slipped from his fingers. He reached out reflexively to grab it and thus lost the connection he had had with his safety harness around his chest. Ham hung there by the grapplers on his knees while he watched the flashlight disappear from view as it fell down a mile to the abandoned city of Los Angeles beneath him.  
  
The former CIA man took a deep breath as all the blood ran to his head. He felt the wind pulling at him. It would be so simple to just let go and let the fall take it all away. Then he could be with his wife and daughter again. No more problems. No more dirty wars. No more Lizards.  
  
But if he died just then there would still be lizards running all over the Earth. Hurting other people. Killing other wives and daughters.  
  
Ham grunted with the effort that it took to twist himself back up to the grapplers he used for his hands. Now that his safety harness wasn't connected, he could reach up to the ladder inside and pull himself inside with little effort.  
  
"Hey! You all right?"  
  
Ham looked back at the man who claimed to be from a starlost colony of Mankind. Boomer had evidently made some record time trying to get over to him. "Yeah, just great. But watch that first step. It's a killer."  
  
Boomer mumbled something about his being to old for this and wanting to pound somebody named Starbuck for talking him into passing promotion yet again.  
  
Ham ignored him and climbed into the access panel and up the ladder. The ladder went up twelve feet before ending at a platform. He looked from the emergency escape shuttle there down the empty corridor. He had drawn his laser pistol and set himself up as a guard while the others climbed up after him. He let them rest and catch their breath even as he was catching his own. When Ham had thought they had rested enough, he brought out his walkie talkie. "Chris, you there?"  
  
"Yeah, man, we're here and ready to go," came the reply through the static. "Are you where you are supposed to be?"  
  
"Yep. See you soon."  
  
Ham motioned to the others to follow him and he opened the door. All Visitor bridges have three doors. One to enter from the rest of the ship, one for the toilet, and one to get to the emergency escape shuttle. Ham had chosen this last one as his means of gaining control of the bridge. He didn't call out a warning. At least right away. He wasn't worried about accidentally killing a Fifth Columnist here. He had already been informed that Philip was the only Fifth Columnist that had access to the bridge and he wasn't there.  
  
Ham shot down two guards while Boomer winged another one. "Don't move and you probably won't get hurt!"  
  
Boomer covered a four men and women who were holding their empty hands in the air " "'Probably?'" he asked.  
  
"Always keep 'em guessing. Makes 'em want to try work with you more." He turned back to the remaining Visitors in the room.   
  
Boomer was about to question that approach when some shots came at them from the guards outside the bridge. Before they could fire a shot in their defense, more laser shots rang out, this time at the Visitor guards. Within a minute, the Visitor attackers were all dead.  
  
"I see you made it."   
  
"Wouldn't miss it," commented Chris Faber. The large man with the scraggly long beard and potbelly stepped over a dead Visitor. The redhead Visitor technician Cassie followed timidly behind him. A number of other Resistance fighters and Colonial Warriors spread out around the room securing their position.  
  
"You look a little out of shape." Ham looked Chris over. The heavy man was breathing hard and sweating even more.  
  
"He was stumbling before he came in here," Cassie mentioned with a concerned look on her face.  
  
"Just winded," Chris defended himself. "Besides, you know I wouldn't let you down, man."  
  
Ham's attention was suddenly attracted by on of the men guarding the entrance. A small number of unarmed Visitors with hands raised were walking forward.  
  
Ham tilted his head to the side. "And what can I do for you?"  
  
"Hugo!" cried out Cassie as she ran forward and wrapped her arms around one of the shorter men. She smiled brightly. "Mr. Tyler, this is Hugo, my brother, who is also the leader of my cell group. Hugo, this is Mr. Ham Tyler, the Fixer."  
  
Hugo flinched at the mention of Ham's nickname 'the Fixer'. Ham just grinned. "Took you guys long enough. I was beginning to wonder what happened to you."  
  
A tall, white haired stepped forward and introduced himself. "I'm Arthur. Sorry for the delay. A lot seems to have come up that we have been trying to deal with and investigate."  
  
"Tell me."  
  
Arthur was a little ruffled by the man's take charge attitude but he wasn't about to ruffle the feathers of the legendary 'Fixer'. "Philip and your friends have escaped but we are not sure to where so we are having all the hiding spots checked. It does seem to be slow going however since in some areas communication lines are not working."  
  
"Diana's work?"  
  
"We do not believe so, Mr. Tyler. I am told she is demanding explanations for the problem. She is also upset because her right-hand man, Philip seems to have disappeared with a group of prisoners he was escorting."  
  
"So we might not be the only rabble-rousers running around up here causing trouble. Good." Ham grinned wickedly which caused a number of people in the room, both Visitor and Human, the flinch away. Ham turned his attention to the mission at hand. Now that they had control of the mothership, they had to keep it. "All right people, I need to know--"  
  
"Mr. Tyler!" Cassie called out.  
  
Ham ducked down and swung his laser toward the disturbance just in time to see his friend Chris fall facedown on the floor. He was beside his friend in a second. "What happened?"  
  
Cassie was kneeling down on the other side of the fallen man. "I--I'm not sure. He just reached for his chest with a look of extreme pain then fell." She looked around him but saw no wounds. "Why are his lips blue? Is that normal?"  
  
For the second time in his life, Ham felt like his world was shattering. The first time was when he had heard the news that his Vietnamese wife and daughter been bombed in an air raid where he had left them safety in a church. Now his longtime friend was having a heart attack before his eyes and he couldn't do anything about it. Or could he?  
  
"Do we have a doctor here?" Nobody answered. Instead most everybody there began looking around with growing concern. "Cassie, any of these Lizards doctors?"  
  
Cassie flinched at the racial slur 'Lizards'. But she did look around. She pointed to one of the Visitor prisoners. "I could be wrong but I think he might be able to help."  
  
The Visitor in question was a tall older looking man who had been pushing a food cart containing large insects and guinea pigs around for the members of the crew to lunch on. At the moment he was glaring daggers at Cassie for betraying him.  
  
"But he's just delivering the food up here. How can he help?"  
  
"He's in Food Preparation," she explained. "It's his job to make sure all food items are healthy. And if not, then to bring it back to health so that it can be consumed. They have to be very versatile in ever food source. Including Humans."  
  
Ham saw the defiance in the Visitor's eye immediately. Ham looked over at Arthur but saw right away that he was unsure of what to do. Standing up, he went over to the grabbed him by the front of his uniform. "You don't like me. Fine. I don't like you either. But I'm going to let you in on a little secret." The Visitor looked at him in confusion. "It's very simple. You save his life, you'll also be saving your own. Understand?"  
  
The Food Preparer's face took on the expected look of fear. "But there is little that I can do for the Human Cardio Vascular System here," pleaded the alien doctor.  
  
Ham dragged him over to where Chris lay gasping for air. "Then figure something out fast or get somebody here who does know." He pulled the Visitor close so that he could growl into his ear. "Well? Do I just kill you now or are you going to do something to help?"  
  
"Ah--we do have a few--specialist that--that are more familiar with Human anatomy and treating them than I am."  
  
"Call them. Have them come here. With their equipment."  
  
"But the equipment that is needed is bolted down," he protested.  
  
Boomer stepped up. "I'll go with him. My Warriors, too."  
  
Ham let go of the Food Preparer. "If anybody goes with Chris, its me."  
  
Boomer shook his head. "You're needed here. You are the only one that seems to know what is going on."  
  
Ham nodded slowly. "You're right. Take care of him. He's all the family I got left."  
  
"I'll stay with him, too, Mr. Tyler," volunteered Cassie softly from where she sat holding Chris' shaking hand.  
  
Ham was a taken aback by the sudden realization that he found her attractive. Part of it had to do with her wanting to stay with and offer comfort to Chris; the rest was her shy, quiet nature, which reminded him of his long dead wife. Still his mind screamed at him, 'She's not even human' but then again a lot of people have said the same thing about him. He cleared his throat to help clear the thoughts from his head. "That would be appreciated, Cassie."  
  
He leaned down and gripped his friend's shoulder. "You hold on, Chris. We'll have you patched up in no time. You don't want to miss the finale, right?" His friend's eyes were closed but his chest was still rising and falling, so he took it as a good sign.  
  
He nodded to Boomer, who had two of his men bring over a cart to wheel Chris on. There was nothing else he could do for Chris right now, but as 'The Fixer' he had other matters that demanded his attention. "All right, people. We got things to do. Now let's get to it."  
  
*****  
  
List of Characters in this section  
STAR TREK:  
Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) - Medical doctor on the starship Enterprise  
  
Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) - A lady archeologist who would go from planet to planet usually searching through sites in which she wasn't allowed. Also a brief love interest for Captain Picard and also Q   
  
Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) - Second in Command on the spacestation Deep Space Nine  
  
Kai Wynn (Louise Fletcher) - The religious leader to the Bajoran people   
  
B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Biggs-Dawson) - Chief Engineer on the starship Voyager  
  
Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) - Communication Officer on the starship Voyager  
  
  
DOCTOR WHO:  
The Doctor (Tom Baker) - The fourth Doctor in the series. He is a time lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space  
  
Leela (Louise Jameson) - A warrior from a primitive tribe on another world descended from stranded astronauts  
  
K-9 (Voice of K-9 done by John Leeson) - A small dog shaped robot that has a very sophisticated computer, sensory, and weapons systems  
  
  
V- THE SERIES:  
Mike Donovan (Marc Singer) - Former news cameraman who quickly became one of the main targets for the Visitors  
  
Julie Parrish (Faye Grant) - A young biomedical student who became one of the leaders of the L.A. Resistance  
  
Kyle Bates (Jeff Yagher) - Became a member of the Resistance but often at odds with those around him. He is also the boyfriend of Elizabeth  
  
Elizabeth (Jennifer Cooke) - The first and only crossbred between the Visitors and Humans, also known as the 'star child'. She has a variety of powers but is still inexperienced with them  
  
Willie (Robert Englund) - A Visitor technician that managed to join the Human Resistance  
  
Thelma (Marilyn Jones) - Willie's fianc‚e, with who he had just been reunited  
  
Philip (Frank Ashmore) - One of those high in command on the mothership, Philip also became a secret member of the Fifth Column, those Visitors opposed to the fighting against the Humans. He also became a contact between the Fifth Column and the Human Resistance  
  
Diana (Jane Badler) - Think evil, manipulative, intelligent, and power hungry.  
  
Lt. James (Judson Scott) - Diana's right hand man  
  
Lydia (June Chadwick) - Diana's rival for power  
  
The Leader (never shown) - Just arrived to Earth, the Leader is a sadistic tyrant that has used his mental abilities to make his people love and follow him  
  
Ham Tyler (Michael Ironside) - An ex-CIA agent who had long supported the L.A. Resistance  
  
Chris Faber (Mickey Jones) - Long time partner of Ham Tyler  
  
  
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA:  
Commander Adama (Lorne Greene) - Leader of the Twelve Colonies of Man and hopes to bring them to the legendary Thirteenth Colony on Earth  
  
Capt. Apollo (Richard Hatch) - Leader of the Vipers, the fighter pilots that protect the last of the Twelve Colonies of Man  
  
Lt. Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) - Friend of Apollo's and fellow Warrior. Also a gambler and girl chaser  
  
Boomer (Herb Jefferson Jr.) - Friend of Apollo's and fellow Warrior  
  
Boxey (Noah Hathaway) - Apollo's adopted son and a young recruit of the Viper squads  
  
Sheba (Anne Lockhart) - The current second in command on the Galactica  
  
Bojay (Jack Stauffer) - A former warrior who is now the commander on the Pegasus  
  
Jolly (Tony Swartz) - A former warrior who is now second in command on the Pegasus  
  
  
STARMAN:  
Paul Forrester (Robert Hays) - An alien on the run from the government who just wants to be with his family. Both times that he came to Earth he cloned himself a Human body so that he could survive the environment. He also has powers   
  
Scott Hayden (C.B. Barnes) - The son of Paul Forrester and Jenny Hayden. He is still a teenager and just learning how to use his powers  
  
Jenny Hayden (Erin Gray) - A Human who bore a child with an alien and has been on the run ever since from the government  
  
George Fox (Michael Cavanaugh) - A federal agent who is determined to prove himself by bringing in the 'starman'  
  
  
QUANTUM LEAP:  
Dr. Samuel Beckett (Scott Bakula) - A time traveler who had gotten stuck in his project and found that in order to travel through time he would have to change things in peoples lives  
  
Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell) - A friend of Sam's who helped give him information and advice while appearing to him as a hologram  
  
  
STARGATE - SG-1:   
*Alternate universe before the stargate was ever used and before any of the characters ever met.  
  
Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) - A LA college student who joined the Resistance and using his language skills to create unbreakable codes. Once he was caught, Diana was willing to try breaking him to get his codes deciphered  
  
Gen. George Hammond (Don S. Davis) - In charge of the United States military operations in the southwest against the Visitor invasion, Hammond became a challenge to the Visitors until he was captured specifically for Diana.   
  
Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) - A young captain with a wife and baby boy at home, Jack had been given the responsibility of transporting supplies out of Chicago to the military zones  
  
Capt. Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) - An eighteen-year-old young woman who joined the military with her friends to help fight the Visitors 


	5. Chapter 5

THE BRIDGE OF THE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA  
Lieutenant Sheba switched on her monitor to receive a call from the Battlestar Pegasus. "Commander Bojay. You needed to talk to me?"  
  
The man on the monitor looked grim. "Yes, I think it may be pretty important. One of our scientists on board was doing some experimenting with a new far range sensor system. He seems to have found something following us."  
  
Sheba felt a knot tighten in her stomach. "Cylons?" She had no desire to meet up with their robotic pursuers, especially now that they have almost completed their long odyssey.   
  
"We're not sure yet, but I'm told that it does seem to be about the right size for a Cylon vessel."  
  
Putting her elbows on her desk, she began rubbing the temples of her forehead. "And we were leading them directly to Earth. This news will devastate Adama."  
  
"One of the reasons we should do something about it now before he wakes up," commented Bojay. "First thing I suggest we do is alter our course so that at least they won't find Earth."  
  
"Agreed." Various possibilities crossed her mind. "We could launch a few Vipers and have the pilots verify what they are."  
  
"Tempting," commented Bojay. "But then if they were Cylons then they would know that we know they are there. I think we should try one of your father's tactics and set up an ambush."  
  
"Which one did you have in mind?" she asked, warming up to the subject.  
  
*****  
  
SOMEWHERE NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
Diana was furious. She had finally gotten everything set up just the way she wanted it with herself in charge of everything and now problems were popping up here and there. She had left a small team of technicians to fix the hidden escape route out of her private holding cells. She had troops searching for the missing Lt. James and the prisoners he was escorting. She had even sent out scores of technicians to fix the communication problems that seem to be spreading around the ship but so far none had reported back to her. Which is why she was there looking for the incompetent buffoons.  
  
She pushed one of her guards out of her way. "Any sign of them, Bruce?"  
  
"None," answered the lieutenant. "But you know how it is with technicians, they could be anywhere trying to track down the problem."  
  
"That is not an answer I am happy with. Now find them," she growled. "And have someone check on why the temperature and humidity are rising in this area."  
  
Bruce nodded and quickly sent off four of his men to work on the problem. Everyone knew Diana loved challenges; she thrived on them. But they also knew that unexpected problems brought out the worst in her. And nobody liked seeing that. The life expectancy of anyone nearby always dropped considerably. Diana was one of those who liked to share their frustrations by taking it out on others.  
  
Diana took a moment to get her bearings. Even she could get lost in a ship of this size. "This is the area where that large item taken from the military compound in Cheyenne Mountain is stored." She mentally kicked herself for not torturing General Hammond for information about the device before he escaped with Philip and the others.  
  
Still, if the item was truly as important as Diana expected it might be, then perhaps the general and his friends might try to liberate it or destroy it. "Come," she commanded. As expected, her remaining guards followed obediently.   
  
She led them through the twisted corridors on her quest the best her memory could recall. "We should have maps posted in vessels this big," she complained.  
  
As she opened the doors to large work area, she froze at what she saw. It wasn't the work area that had the device taken from Cheyenne Mountain but it did have something else there that took her breath away. "What... what is all this?"  
  
Even as she watched, men and women were walking around putting together new equipment of a style she had never seen. The computers and workstations in the room had already been converted over to this new technology, evidently in order to more easily create these new devices.  
  
The people themselves were something to behold. Everyone walked around in a slow steady pace that was scary in its exactness. They reminded Diana of her first experiments in trying to control the minds of others, but even she could see there was something much more at work here than just mind control. And it scared her. Some limbs had been replaced with prosthetic attachments with possibly analytical or weapons capacity. One eye of ever person also seemed to have been replaced with a lens that gave off a red beam of light.  
  
"By the leader's scales!" cried out one of her men. "That's Humphrey!"  
  
Diana looked to where the guard was referring. On one of the tables nearby lay the technician Humphrey, whom she had sent to investigate and fix the communication problems in this area just a few hours previously. Humphrey's false human face was torn around the eye area, revealing a little of the small green scales where the new mechanical eye now rested. Even as Diana and the guards watched, two of the automaton people were reattaching a new limb where Humphrey's right arm had once been.  
  
Even though she was repulsed, Diana's recognized a manner of organization and purpose. But since she knew that it was not a part of her design, that it would have to be destroyed for now because of the threat it seemed to indicate. Something like this just could not be allowed to go on. At least not until she had had a chance to study it and apply its uses to her plans.  
  
"Shoot them! Shoot them all!"  
  
Her men didn't need any encouragement. Even though the zombie-like creatures had made no signs of even acknowledging their existence, the guards felt threatened just by their unknown nature. What they saw horrified them and they would only feel safe again after the monstrosities to nature were dead. They opened fire with on the drones before them with no regret. Unfortunately, they would soon have much to regret.   
  
Laser blasts poured out in short bursts from their weapons only to be stopped short of their targets by the sudden force fields that appeared around the targeted drones. A few of the guards blinked in disbelief then fired again, only to arrive at the same results as before.  
  
"You fools!" screamed Diana. "Do something!" she demanded as she watched a number of the mutilated and cybernetically enhanced people turned as one toward her and began slowly her way.  
  
Two of her guards that were a little less intimidated by the slow moving threat charged forward to catch them off guard. It should have worked considering how awkward the drones looked. However, when one of the guards hit a drone in the jaw and caused it to fall, the fallen drone managed to reach out from where it lay and stab the guard in the leg with his extended tubules.  
  
Diana and the remaining guards watched in horrified fascination as the guard clawed wildly at his leg. At first Diana thought that some type of poison had been injected into the guard writhing in pain. But the guard's hands moved from the stabbed leg and up his body as if to stop the pain from spreading. When it reached his head, he began tearing off the fake Human skin covering as he screamed in pain. Diana's scientist eye for detail noted the metallic vein-like substance that could be seen spreading even under the scales of his face.  
  
It was when the guard next to her bolted away that Diana realized that she had been left behind. She was about to pull out her own blaster and shoot the guards down for the audacity of abandoning her when she realized that they would serve her better as bait. She ducted to the side of the door and away from the approaching Borg drones to get at one of the grilles for a ventilation system. "Everybody is always using these shafts to get away from me; its only right that I get to use them to get away from someone, too," she muttered as she climbed in.  
  
Behind her she could hear shots fired and screams coming from her former guards. It didn't bother her. She had other matters on her mind.  
  
*****  
  
A FIFTH COLUMN SECRET MEETING SPOT  
Al Calavicci was bored. Usually since Al just had a holographic image of himself projected into the past to guide Sam, he could walk out of the Imaging Chamber whenever he needed to or whenever it got really boring. Now, however, he really was a holographic image that was stuck in the past with Sam. Only it wasn't their past. It was the past of some parallel world that had been invaded by alien visitors from another planet. And just to make it a little weirder, he was stuck on guard duty with the alien named Willie. Some of their sleeping group come from a futuristic world and belonged to a group called Starfleet. Two others claimed to be fighter pilots for a long lost race of humans from outer space.  
  
It had been an hour since they had started their shift of guard duty and Al still wasn't sure what to say to the guy. He carefully studied him as the alien clumsily bit away at a carrot.   
  
"I thought you guys only ate living, breathing things?" If that didn't get a conversation going I don't know what will, thought Al.  
  
The alien in question cocked his head to the side and regarded him for a moment. "My people do. As far as I know I am the first of my kind to try living solely on the bodies of vegetables and fruits."  
  
"O-kay." Al was about to give up on trying to converse when he noticed the Willie's gaze returning to one of the females sleeping in the corner on the far side of the room. "So is she your girlfriend?"  
  
Willie nodded sheepishly. "Thelma and I were promised to each other by our families when we were just hatchlings." A grin spread across his face as he looked upon her sleeping form. "She is to be my date someday."  
  
Al's eyebrows shot up. "I take it that dating is pretty serious among your people."  
  
Willie regarded him with a look of confusion for a second then shook his head. "Ah, that was the wrong word. Let me think... Mate. Yes, she will be my mate some day. The two of us are to be buried."  
  
Al chuckled. "Still sounds like a pretty serious thing."  
  
"Yes it is," agreed Willie. "It is also serious among your people."  
  
Al thought a moment in retrospect of his many ex-wives. "Well you see--"  
  
A red warning light flashed above the door they were guarding. Willie drew his laser pistol while Al backed up to wake the others. Before either of that happened, the light turned green.  
  
"It's a Fifth Column member," commented Willie. "They have piped in the right code sequence so we know that they are on our side."  
  
"You mean 'typed'," corrected Al who was starting to get used to Willie's word slipups. "I'll go wake Philip. You make sure that they really are friendly."  
  
Philip turned out to be a light sleeper along with almost everyone else there. After a few minutes the only one still sleeping was Kai Wynn because Major Kira wanted her to rest as much as possible.  
  
After Al had done his part of waking people up, he returned to find a new guy that had the same type of uniform that Philip and Lt. James wore. The new guy, who was introduced as Leo, was also all excited and busy speaking to Philip in length about invaders in the ship.  
  
"That would be the Borg," yawned Beverly Crusher as she ran her fingers through her hair to try restoring some semblance of order to some of the more wayward strands. "They are the ones we've come to stop."  
  
"There has also been a Human task force that has taken over one of the shuttlebays. It was led by Ham Tyler."  
  
Mike's eyes widened. "Tyler's onboard?"  
  
Leo nodded. "And moving fast. We have been cutting all the transmissions that could reveal his location. The last I heard he seemed to be heading toward the bridge."  
  
"He would." Julie shook her head in amazement.  
  
He also had some men accompanying him dressed in the same uniforms as those two," added Leo as he pointed to Apollo and Starbuck.  
  
Apollo came forward before Starbuck could say anything. "Like this? Are you sure?" he asked as he gave Leo a closer look at his uniform.  
  
"Exactly the same," said the Fifth Columnist Visitor.  
  
Starbuck grinned at Apollo. "Boy, Boomer's getting quicker at rescuing us in our time of need. Remind he to buy him a bottle of Ambrosia when we get back."  
  
Philip noticed that Leo wasn't interested in any of the other conversations his news had sparked up. He had more news to share. "Our spy cameras that we put outside Lydia's office have shown a most surprising development! The Leader! He is alive and has gone to Lydia!"  
  
Philip was overwhelmed. "Are you sure it was the Leader?"  
  
"It was him. He even wore the purple sash only he is allowed to wear.  
  
Mike Donovan wasn't as compliant as Philip. "Were you able to hear what was discussed? Did he say how he survived or what his next moves might be?"  
  
The newcomer was a little taken aback by the questions. Even though he was fighting for the Human cause, he had had very little interaction with them.  
  
"It's alright, Leo," interceded Philip.  
  
Leo reluctantly answered. "We do not have any spying devices inside her office because it is constantly checked for such things. The closest we were able to come was to plant a few devices in the hall just outside her office. That way we can at least monitor where she is."  
  
"So we don't really have a clue as to what they actually talked about," pointed out Julie Parrish.   
  
Philip shrugged. "No. That is true, but we do know that now that he is here that Diana is definitely not in charge any more."  
  
"But that doesn't mean that the Leader is on our side though," pointed out Mike.  
  
Philip and Leo were upset by the statement. "How can you--"  
  
"He has a point," interrupted Willie.  
  
Thelma, Willie's fianc‚e, gasped. "Whatever do you mean?"  
  
Willie, though nervous of all the eyes on him, continued. "Of my people, I have been the longest to live away from Sirius IV and from the Leader in particular. I have been doing a lot of stinking about--"   
  
"Thinking," Julie automatically corrected.  
  
"Yes. Thinking. Thank you." He took a moment to regard Philip, Leo and Thelma knowing that what he was going to say could be considered almost blasphemy to them. "Our Leader has great mental abilities with which he can use to manipulate people and change their hearts--"  
  
"The Leader would never--" blurted out Philip in outrage.  
  
"Please, at least let me point out the events that trouble me." Willie saw that they reluctantly agreed though Thelma had turned away and was weeping quietly. To contemplate an indiscretion on the part of the Leader was practically unthinkable. And Willie was sure that was part of the problem.  
  
General Hammond coughed briefly from where he sat to clear the air. "Please continue, son. It at least sounds interesting."  
  
"Well, why would the Leader cultivate the worst traits of those in positions of authority?"  
  
Philip was indignant. "I consider myself and my brother to have been very good officers."  
  
"Yes, but you were a minority. And totally loyal to the Leader. All of the rest of those in leadership had no problems with causing genocide to the life of an entire planet just to feed our own."  
  
"We--we were in desperate times."  
  
"Yes," agreed Willie. "But we had been warned years before it got to the point that we couldn't feed ourselves by those in the Covenant of Zon. Why didn't we listen to them and their words about pollution and need to raise more food?"  
  
"They had turned against the Leader and were trying to get him out of power," pointed out Leo.  
  
"They were a peaceful sect that merely wanted to serve Zon and do good works for the people. And they were right about the pollution and the depleting food supplies. And what was their reward? To be hunted down and tortured for trying to help the people. By the Leader. Even though he himself was born with the Mark of Zon."  
  
Philip looked confused. "There may have been some mistakes made in the past but that is old history."  
  
"Then help me understand some recent mystery."  
  
"You mean history, Willie," corrected Julie.  
  
"Yes, thank you. Diana was the lover of the Leader before he sent her here to help take over this planet, right?"  
  
"What are you trying to say?" asked Thelma. There was a tremble in her tone. She could sense that she was about to hear something that could change how she understood things and the concept terrified her.  
  
"Just this. With the Leader's great mental powers, he must have known what Diana was like as soon as he met her. Why would someone who is benevolently good take someone who is deviously evil as a lover?"  
  
Everyone stopped to think of the implications of this statement. Almost everyone. Al was busy ogling the ladies of the group.  
  
"Do you mind?" B'Elanna complained.  
  
"Not really. Ah, I mean sorry. I'm not used to being seen while I'm a hologram."  
  
"That is no excuse for ogling me, you brightly-colored baboon!"  
  
"Say," Beverly jumped up from where she was sitting. "I've got an idea."  
  
"What's that?" asked Mike.  
  
"We can use the sexist-pig to find out about the Leader for us."  
  
"What sexist-pig?" asked Al.  
  
"I think they are referring to you, Al," answered Sam with a laugh. "And if its what I think, then it sounds like a good idea to me."  
  
*****  
  
A RESEARCH WORK AREA NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
A door opened and a group of people hurried in and locked the door with great haste.  
"Great! Now we're surrounded!" raged Kyle Bates.  
  
During their initial escape from the Borg, the Doctor's team kept running into groups of the drones and then running away from them. They had been running down a corridor away from some of the more persistent body-snatching drones only to find more drones ahead of them. K-9, having detected a strange and powerful energy source through one of the doors, had somehow managed to get the Doctor's curiosity peaked even under these circumstances. And, besides, they had to get out of the corridor anyway.  
  
"Now what are you going to pull out of your hat?" berated Kyle in frustrated anger. He didn't like these cat-and-mouse games the Doctor seemed to enjoy playing with the Borg.  
  
"I don't carry anything in my hat," he said, smiling toothily at the young man. "Nothing up my sleeves either."  
  
Paul Forrester used his natural powers to seal the door, at least temporarily, against their drone pursuers. "This won't hold them long," he said to anyone listening.  
  
"Then we won't stay here long," stated the Doctor. "Kyle, Scott, be good chaps and look for a door on the other side, would you?"  
  
Kyle was about to say something but Elizabeth gave a tug on his arm and shook her head. Sighing in frustration, the young man complied with the request and went to go look for another exit. Scott, being more scared, was a little more enthusiastic in his haste to look. He really wanted to get away from those Borg things.  
  
"Big place we have here. Wonder what it's for?" wondered the Doctor out loud.  
  
"Sensor analysis of the area suggest a research area," pointed out K-9.  
  
"Yes, but researching what?" The Doctor flipped a switch on a panel near him, which caused a number of spotlights to focus on a large ring shaped object near the left far wall.  
  
Leela sat resting at one of the chairs at a desk along with Elizabeth. "What is that, Doctor?"  
  
"I'm not sure. K-9, is that where the energy reading you detected were coming from?" he asked, pointing to the large object.  
  
"Yes master," responded the small mechanical droid.  
  
Unable to help himself, the Doctor walked closer to the object and for a time ceased to worry about the problems behind him. "It has a number of symbols around it. Thirty-nine to be exact. Interesting." He studied the small console set before the large, ringed object. "And this must control it somehow? I wonder what it does. The symbols must signify something about the function of this device. K-9, do an analysis on the symbols on that outer ring. See if you can decipher their meaning."  
  
"Analysis complete, Master. Each symbol represents a star constellation," remarked the cybernetic unit.  
  
"Star constellations? Ah! Of course!" He gazed at the large device before him in wonder. "Interstellar travelling device. A gateway between the stars. Looks to be ancient yet it seems ancient." Gingerly, he ran his hand over the console before him. Suddenly a sadness came upon him. "Oh dear."  
  
"Doctor?"  
  
"I'm afraid we'll have to destroy it, Leela," answered the Doctor with much regret.  
  
"No you won't!" shouted out a female voice.  
  
The Doctor shielded his eyes from the bright lights being shown down on him and the stargate. A dark haired woman with an evil smile came out of the shadows. She held Kyle by the neck with a laser pistol at his head for good measure. "And to who do we have the honor of addressing," asked the Doctor with his best smile and a low bow.  
  
"Diana!" called out Elizabeth in horror.  
  
"Ah, my little star child," greeted Diana. "I should have known you wouldn't be far from your little boyfriend." She quickly pointed her weapon at the Doctor while keeping the others in her line of view. "You! Why were going to destroy that device now that you have figured out what it is for?"  
  
"Well, there is a certain matter of containment. You see, outside the door over there is a certain group of beings that belong to something they call the Borg. And they indoctrinate anyone they come across into their collective." He saw the fear light up in he eyes. "I see you have already met them. I'm sure you've found them as charming as we have. And that is also why we can't allow them to spread to another part of this universe."  
  
Diana looked at the door Paul and Jenny were standing by. "How do I know I can trust you?"  
  
The Doctor smiled. "You are the one with the weapon. How do we know that we can trust you?"  
  
"You can't trust her," mumbled Kyle from beneath her tight grip.  
  
"I see," said the time-lord. "K-9, fetch!" he said while pointing at the laser pistol.  
  
A beam of magnetic energy pulled the weapon out of Diana's hand. Diana stared in shock as her pistol hung at the side of the small robot dog's muzzle.  
  
Diana grabbed Kyle closer and clamped on of her hands on his throat. "Come any closer and I'll crush his throat!" Kyle for his part was unable to move and was gasping for air.  
  
Just then she felt something jab he in the back. "Release him or I'll shoot," a voice informed her.  
  
"Scott!" Jenny called out to her son. Paul's head turned from where he was still keeping the door shut on the drones, also.  
  
"I'm fine, mom. I was checking one of the corners when I happen to see this 'lady' come out of the ventilation system and jump Kyle," explained Scott. "So, what's it going to be, 'lady'?" he asked in his best Clint Eastwood voice. "Are we going to be peaceful about this or am I going to have to put a hole in you?"  
  
With much reluctance, Diana let go of her grip and pushed Kyle away from her. Elizabeth immediately went to him and pulled him toward one of the chairs.  
  
Scott backed away from Diana and then widely circled around her. Diana cursed in her own language when she saw that the 'gun' the boy had jabbed in her back was actually a metal pipe.  
  
"Sorry," chuckled the boy, "but my dad doesn't let me play with guns," he explained.  
  
"You'll regret that!" threatened Diana.  
  
Elizabeth stood up from where Kyle sat catching his breath and turned to glare at the evil woman. "I think you are going to be too busy worrying about your own troubles to do anything to Scott." She took a few steps closer to her nemesis, while all the others in the room stood quietly by. "Because of you I was born. So for that reason and that reason alone I will give you a warning. The Leader is alive and well and he very much wants to see you."  
  
Diana stood there stunned. "You--you're lying!"  
  
Elizabeth smiled. "You know that I am not. After all, the Leader, Kyle and I were on that shuttle that you blew up. If Kyle and I survived, then why not the Leader?"  
  
A myriad of emotions--fear, anger, frustration and hate--crossed over her face. Then she turned and bolted back the way she had come and ran into the ventilation system.  
  
Kyle was on his feet and running after her when he heard the Doctor yell at him to stop. Considering all the hate Kyle had for Diana, Elizabeth was surprised that he had stopped.  
  
"We have bigger problems to work on here; or would you rather run off and get lost like Mr. Fox did?"  
  
Walking back with great reluctance, Kyle gave a half-hearted grin to Elizabeth. She greeted his return with a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. "So what now, chief?" he asked.  
  
"Well, lets check our options. K-9, I need you to destroy that stargate device."  
  
"Unable to comply, master."  
  
"What? Why?" demanded the time-lord.  
  
"The energy released upon its destruction by my weapons would result in an explosion that would destroy half of this vessel."  
  
"Well, that's not good," he said, taking off his hat as he stood regarding the stargate again. "Especially since we are still on this ship."  
  
"Doctor!" exclaimed Paul. The man was giving off a blue light that seemed to be keeping the door closed. The door itself seemed to be slowly disintegrating. "I'm slowing them down but they seem determined to come through!"  
  
"We've got to get out of here!" cried out Jenny. "We can leave the same way that other woman left!"  
  
"No we can't," said the Doctor quietly but just enough to be heard.  
  
Scott pulled his mother into a comforting hug. With a look of defiance, he glared at the Gallifreyian. "Why not!"  
  
"Because!" exploded the Doctor. "We came here to stop the Borg! Not let them take the opportunity to spread themselves throughout the stars!" he bellowed while waving his arm with his hat at the stargate. "And believe me, given the opportunity that is just what they would do! After all, that's how they got here!"  
  
"So you are saying this is like the Alamo?" asked Kyle. "We have to take our last stand here so that can't get any farther?"  
  
"Yes, the Alamo," said the Doctor deep in remembrance. "A horrible tragedy. Wish they had listened to me."  
  
"Well, I think we are all willing to listen now," answered Scott. "Think you can start by giving us some advice that will help my dad."  
  
The Doctor looked up. Leela was already over by the blue, glowing man ready to plunge her knife into anything that tried to come through the growing opening in the door.  
  
"Right! First lets move those tables over here to give us some cover," said the Doctor as he began his defense strategy.  
  
*****  
  
LYDIA'S OFFICE  
Al cursed his luck. He had found what he was looking for. It was all that delicious-looking redhead doctor's fault for suggesting that they send him in to spy on the Leader in Lydia's office to find out what he was really planning. Since Al was a hologram and could walk through walls and render himself invisible to those around him, he was the perfect choice for this type of espionage project. The only problem would be that the Leader may be able to telepathically detect him... and possibly affect him somehow. Possibly brainwash him or kill him.  
  
Al groaned as he remembered a scene from a movie he had watched the other night where a telepath had caused a guy's head to explode just by thinking about it.  
  
"Okay Calavicci. Let's pull it together." He punched one of the brightly colored buttons on the datapadd that normally connected him to Ziggy. Q, however, had changed that for now so that now all the datapadd did was make him visible and audible to people other than just Sam. Plus, it could be used to transmit to the Starfleet comm badges. "I found the door. There are some guards outside the door but that doesn't worry me since they can't see or hear me."  
  
The voice of a frustrated Major Kira answered out of Ziggy's datapadd. "Well get in there already and find something out. Philip's got us in a holding pattern until you do."  
  
"Sheesh! Nice to know risking my neck is so appreciated," replied Al. The real problem for Al lay in the fact that the holographic image system was set up to send an image of Al in the chamber out into the past be received by brainwaves, the time-traveling Sam Beckett's brainwaves in particular. Now that Q had modified Al and his image they weren't sure how that part worked anymore. The real seriousness of the question would come into play when Al came into close contact with the Leader, a powerful telepath who may be able to detect his brainwave image.  
  
"Al!" came Sam's voice. "Be careful in there. Don't take chances."  
  
"You took the words right out of my mouth, buddy." Steeling his nerve, Al took a deep breath and walked through the wall and into Lydia's office. "Think quiet thoughts," whispered Al to himself as he punched another button of the datapadd to allow the others to listen but not speak to him.  
  
He did a double take when he saw the beautiful blond sitting behind the desk. "Now there's a pretty picture," he commented as he took in the view of the attractive woman.  
  
The object of Al's recent affections was totally oblivious to him. "My Lord, I'm unable to contact the bridge," commented Lydia as she punched some buttons at her desk.  
  
Al looked to see who she was talking to and froze when he saw a large green-scaled humanoid lizard standing just a few feet away from him. Ah man, this is where my brain gets turned to goo! thought Al.  
  
The Leader hissed in frustration. "Is everything on this vessel falling apart?"  
  
"Just a moment," she said. "I have a call from one of my captains."  
  
The Leader just shrugged and returned his attention back to the table of live snacks.  
  
"He couldn't see me. He looked right at me and couldn't see me." Al relaxed as some of the weight was taken off his shoulders. He regarded the lizard-man again to size him up. "Boy were you ever severely beaten with the ugly stick." Al shook his head in dismay. "No wonder you people wear fake human skins all the time." A thought occurred to Al and he pivoted back to regard Lydia. Suddenly picturing what she really looked like with her scales, Al regretted the earlier thoughts he had had, wondering what she would look like in a hot tub.  
  
His former attraction punched a button ending her call. "My Lord, a group of Humans have invaded the Mothership and have taken hold of the bridge."  
  
There was a slight choking noise. Al turned and was just able to catch sight of a large tail of a rodent disappearing into the mouth of the Leader even as a large lump moved down his throat. Al immediately felt himself gagging at the sight and had to turn away.  
  
After clearing his throat, the Leader spoke. "Is nothing going right here?" He stretched his arms dramatically. "I just take a simple trip to see how my people are doing in taking over this water-blessed planet and all I find is one disastrous event after another!"  
  
"Oh boy," muttered Al. "He's losing it."  
  
"I'm rerouting soldiers up there now."  
  
"Good. I'm going to take a look for myself as to what is going on," replied the Leader. He stood there with his eyes closed and his mind reaching out. Finally, the ruler of Sirian people slumped into a chair near the prone body of George Fox. Gently, he began messaging his forehead with one of his massive hands.  
  
"My Lord, are you all right?"  
  
The Leader didn't even bother to look up. "There is a buzzing in my head like...whispers that I can't quite hear. The background noise it's causing is making it too painful for me to project my powers as far as the bridge just yet with me so run down."  
  
Al swallowed nervously as he took a few steps towards the far wall in case he needed to make a run for it.  
  
Lydia looked up from where she sat with concern in her eyes "Maybe something you ate didn't agree with you?"  
  
He just shook his reptilian head. "No. I think it has something to do with this hive-mind that that Doctor said the Borg have."  
  
"I still have teams out looking for the Doctor and his friends that held you captive. And also for any possibility of this Borg threat that they mentioned to you. So far all the teams that have reported back have seen no sign of them. There are four teams that are late in reporting in so I have dispatched people to go check where they were last located. I also have a team guarding that strange box you say you all arrived in the stern shuttlebay."  
  
"Yes, I definitely want to find out more about that box, the TARDIS, I believe it was called," commented the Leader in retrospect.  
  
Suddenly, there was a shift in weight as if the room were actually an elevator.  
  
"The mothership is rising!"  
  
"I know that!" snapped the Leader. "Tell me where the fool Humans are taking us!"  
  
Her fingers danced on the keyboard in front of her. "So far just up into the atmosphere."  
  
"Enough of this foolishness! Contact the other motherships waiting in orbit around the moon. Tell them we will be leaving this vessel and joining them."  
  
"What of those still on this vessel?" asked the female Visitor.  
  
"I have a overpopulated planet back home; you really think I'm going to worry if the people on this vessel die when I have it blown out of the sky?"  
  
"Oh boy," said Al as he walked though the way. He quickly punched a button on the datapadd to restore his link with the others.  
  
*****  
  
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA  
"Commander, what's wrong now? Why are you breaking radio silence?" Sheba asked reluctantly. She knew she wasn't going to like the answer.  
  
Commander Bojay had taken the Battlestar Pegasus and staged an ambush near a large asteroid field. The Battlestar Galactica had moved to the rear of the space convoy of Colonial ships in order to give the appearance that the Pegasus was still with the fleet and give the Galactica a quicker chance to aid the Pegasus once their trap was sprung. But in order to make the ambush work, radio silence had been necessary.  
  
"We have a problem, Sheba," Bojay said with a troubled look on his face. "The Cylon ships have stayed on their previous course and never even came near us. They are still headed straight for Earth."  
  
Sheba was surprised to say the least. "But why? Surely they could detect our convey. Why would they pass us by?"  
  
"I think the answer is obvious," answered the other commander with much regret. "I think that they must have picked up the same signal that we did, the one that led us to Earth."  
  
"So instead of helping them with their problems, we have given our long lost relatives over to the very fate we have been trying to avoid."  
  
"Nonsense!" insisted Bojay. "The Cylons would have picked up on the Earth signal sooner or later even if they hadn't been following us."  
  
"You're right," she agreed. "But what do we do now?"  
  
"For starters, I'm going to take the Pegasus and follow them."  
  
"Follow four BaseShips? Not even my father was that crazy!"  
  
"That's debatable. But don't worry, I don't plan on going anywhere near them until I've planned something out."  
  
"Well, I'm not going to let you go alone. I'm going to park this convey in that asteroid field that you're in and then I'm coming after you."  
  
Bojay didn't even bother to argue. Lt. Sheba was her father's daughter. "There is one thing that you should do before joining me."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"You should send a signal to Earth to warn them of what is heading their way."  
  
*****  
  
THE BRIDGE OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
"Do you have those weapons online yet?" snapped Tyler to three of his men that were doing their best on the computer consoles in front of them.  
  
"Got it!" one of the men exclaimed. "Whoops."  
  
"Sir!" called out another. "Sensors show a number of ships leaving orbit around the moon and heading our way."  
  
"Bet that number is about thirty motherships," Ham answered. He wasn't worried about them anymore. Not since the Resistance had reported that the Leader had been sighted. Once the other motherships learn that their Leader was still alive and on board they wouldn't dare fire on them. But he could fire on them. That was why he had had they mothership cease hovering over Los Angeles and head out of the atmosphere.  
"And now things get interesting. And we better have figured out how to work those weapons soon or we won't last very long up here."  
  
Arthur, one of the Fifth Column leaders stepped forward. "I think we should call the other motherships and explain the situation to them."  
  
"By all means, tell them that if they attack, we'll kill their Leader."  
  
Arthur blanched at the very idea. "We--we don't even have the Leader yet."  
  
Ham smiled. "They don't know that."  
  
"But--"  
  
"How about I talk to them? It would probably be more believable. I have a reputation in these sort of things."  
  
Arthur felt a wave of relief flow over him. "Yes. That would be better."  
  
"Mr. Tyler!" Hugo called out. He had one of their walkie talkies to his ear and was waving to him frantically. "It's my sister, Cassie!"  
  
Ham felt as if something was squeezing his chest. "I don't have time now. Just tell me if it is good news or bad."  
  
"She says its good. Chris has been stabilized and is resting comfortably," answered Hugo.  
  
Showing emotions not being his strong point, Ham just nodded. "Good. Now lets get busy on these other matters."  
  
*****  
  
CRYOGENIC STORAGE AREA  
Samantha helped the man slowly sit up. "Here. Drink a little of this." Once her team had successfully returned from retrieving the weapons, Jack O'Neill had her go over and help those that had just been revived from their cryogenic slumber. She had protested at first but he had pointed out to her that now that the doctors understood what they were doing they were freeing people faster, which left fewer people to help those that were just coming around.   
  
"Oh, what hit me?" groaned the man before her.  
  
"I have no idea. Just be grateful that you are alive." She wiped a towel down one of his arms to remove some of the gel that remained from the cryogenic chamber.   
  
"How long was I out?"  
  
"Probably a few months," she answered.  
  
The man managed to open one of his eyes for a second. "Was I in a coma?"  
  
"You wish." She gave him a quick rundown on the current events. He took it well, all things considering. Jack had been right about having her help out her. Most of the men seemed to calm down when they saw a young beautiful woman treating them. Some had been a little unsavory, but she had also received two marriage proposals. All that mattered to her at the moment, however, was that she was helping people.  
  
He looked around in amazement, shock and revulsion at the sight of countless numbers of people hanging in gel-like cocoons from the ceiling. He had heard the stories of how the Visitors stored their Human captives like this to keep them fresh. But to wake up from being in one of those knowing that--  
  
"So what's your name," she asked, trying to distract him.  
  
"McGee. Jack McGee. I'm a war correspondent for the Freedom Network. Before the Visitors came along, I was just a reporter for the National Register."  
  
"The Register? That's one of those supermarket tabloids. I used to read that when I was a kid," said Samantha with a chuckle. "The neighbor's youngest boy would bring it over when his mother was through reading it. The two of us would each take half of the paper and we would see who could find the most outrageous stories. It was great fun."  
  
McGee gave a halfhearted smile as he wiped some of the gunk out of his eyes. "Some of those stories were true, by the way." Looking down he could see that he was naked and covered with some type of transparent gel. A small blanket had been placed around his waist to give him some form of modesty.  
  
"Yeah," she conceded. "Some of those stories about famous people were true, I'll bet. One of my high school teachers always said that truth was stranger than fiction, especially when it comes from Hollywood."  
  
"Oh really. So I take it you don't believe all those UFO sightings and alien kidnappings that were printed in the paper?"  
  
She laughed. It was pretty hard to contest that since they were both currently in the heart of an alien spaceship. "I'll give you that one but the rest were just to outlandish."  
  
"I do agree that I think some of my fellow writers may have given into creative fiction for a paycheck, but some of those stories, even some of the more incredible ones, were true."  
  
"But some of those stories just couldn't be true. Like the one about the pig-faced boy, the androids that took over a theme park and planed to take over the world, or the man who turns into a immensely strong 7 foot tall green beast-"   
  
"The Hulk," he interrupted. "And that one does exist. I was hunting him for years before the Visitors showed up."  
  
"Oh, come on." She shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"That is exactly the reason I've been so persistent in finding the Hulk. I wanted to bring him before the world and show them I was right all along. Then I'd get the recognition I deserve and be able to start writing serious things again for a real newspaper." He sighed. "Now with this war with the very survival of our race at stake, it all just doesn't seem to matter."  
  
She began using the already ruined towel to get rid of some of the gel. "Come to thing of it, I might have a scoop for you. I was talking to a captain earlier, Jack O'Neill is his name, and he told me that eight one-man fighters came down in Chicago today who all claimed to be from a long lost colony of Humans from outer space." She looked down to see if he was taking her serious but to her surprise he wasn't even paying any attention to her. "What's the matter? What are you looking at?"  
  
"A dead man."  
  
"Whoa! One of Captain O'Neill's first rules is no fighting among ourselves up here. We've already had two incidents-"  
  
"That's not what I mean," explained the reporter. "That man over there, the doctor. I was the one who reported him dead. I was the last one to see him alive."  
  
"Are you sure? That's Dr. David Baker. I spoke with him a little. He's very good and seems like a very nice guy."  
  
"Yes," said the reporter who now had most of the puzzle pieces he had been working on for years in place. "But you wouldn't like him when he's angry."  
  
Cries of alarm came from one of the side entrances followed by shots being fired.  
  
"I knew it was to good to last!" exclaimed Samantha as she took her sidearm out of her belt.  
  
"What's going on?" asked McGee.  
  
She was about to tell him that the Visitors must have found out what they were up to and were attacking. But that was not what came through the door. "What...?"  
  
Even as she shook of her surprise, blasts of laser fire were being exchanged. She ducked behind a makeshift gurney and pulled Jack McGee down beside her. Risking a peek she saw Dr. Chris Carter being stabbed by one of the attackers dressed in black.  
  
"They don't seem very quick on their feet," commented McGee.  
  
He was right, she noticed. The attackers didn't seem to mind the hail of laser blasts that were being rained on them either. Something like a force field appeared each time the attackers would have been hit and blocked the lethal blasts. Spotting Dr. Carter again, she was surprised to see him alive. But his face was contorted in agony as grayish veins spread over his exposed skin.  
  
Off to the side and closer to the action, the doctor that Jack McGee had been so interested in was busy trying to move one of the patients he had just revived from the gel cocoons away from all the danger. A stray shot hit one of the cocoons next to him causing it to explode onto him like a broken fish tank and throwing him to the floor.  
  
"Dr. Baker!" cried out Samantha.  
  
"I hope you're right about that," said McGee, "because if I'm right and that is Dr. Banner, things are going to get a whole lot more complicated."  
  
The object of their attention was slowly getting to his feet, pushing off the now dead body that had come from the exploding gel cocoon. Gaining his feet, the physician looked up at the events around him, his eyes an eerie white. He seemed to grow before their eyes as his clothes, becoming more and more too small for him, tore to shreds. His skin and hair took on a greenish-hue as power flowed through his once human frame.  
  
"Things just got a lot more complicated," commented McGee to the young woman next to him. "I don't suppose you could point me to where I can get some pants?" he asked while holding the small blanket around him the best he could. "I don't think I can run very well like this."  
  
*****  
  
List of Characters in this section  
STAR TREK:  
Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) - Medical doctor on the starship Enterprise  
  
Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) - A lady archeologist who would go from planet to planet usually searching through sites in which she wasn't allowed. Also a brief love interest for Captain Picard and also Q   
  
Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) - Second in Command on the spacestation Deep Space Nine  
  
Kai Wynn (Louise Fletcher) - The religious leader to the Bajoran people   
  
B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Biggs-Dawson) - Chief Engineer on the starship Voyager  
  
Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) - Communication Officer on the starship Voyager  
  
  
DOCTOR WHO:  
The Doctor (Tom Baker) - The fourth Doctor in the series. He is a time lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space  
  
Leela (Louise Jameson) - A warrior from a primitive tribe on another world descended from stranded astronauts  
  
K-9 (Voice of K-9 done by John Leeson) - A small dog shaped robot that has a very sophisticated computer, sensory, and weapons systems  
  
  
V- THE SERIES:  
Mike Donovan (Marc Singer) - Former news cameraman who quickly became one of the main targets for the Visitors  
  
Julie Parrish (Faye Grant) - A young biomedical student who became one of the leaders of the L.A. Resistance  
  
Kyle Bates (Jeff Yagher) - Became a member of the Resistance but often at odds with those around him. He is also the boyfriend of Elizabeth  
  
Elizabeth (Jennifer Cooke) - The first and only crossbred between the Visitors and Humans, also known as the 'star child'. She has a variety of powers but is still inexperienced with them  
  
Willie (Robert Englund) - A Visitor technician that managed to join the Human Resistance. He is well known for getting his words mixed-up  
  
Thelma (Marilyn Jones) - Willie's fianc‚e, with who he had just been reunited  
  
Philip (Frank Ashmore) - One of those high in command on the mothership, Philip also became a secret member of the Fifth Column, those Visitors opposed to the fighting against the Humans. He also became a contact between the Fifth Column and the Human Resistance  
  
Diana (Jane Badler) - Think evil, manipulative, intelligent, and power hungry.  
  
Lt. James (Judson Scott) - Diana's right hand man  
  
Lydia (June Chadwick) - Diana's rival for power  
  
The Leader (never shown) - Just arrived to Earth, the Leader is a sadistic tyrant that has used his mental abilities to make his people love and follow him  
  
Ham Tyler (Michael Ironside) - An ex-CIA agent who had long supported the L.A. Resistance  
  
Chris Faber (Mickey Jones) - Long time partner of Ham Tyler  
  
  
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA:  
Commander Adama (Lorne Greene) - Leader of the Twelve Colonies of Man and hopes to bring them to the legendary Thirteenth Colony on Earth  
  
Capt. Apollo (Richard Hatch) - Leader of the Vipers, the fighter pilots that protect the last of the Twelve Colonies of Man  
  
Lt. Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) - Friend of Apollo's and fellow Warrior. Also a gambler and girl chaser  
  
Boomer (Herb Jefferson Jr.) - Friend of Apollo's and fellow Warrior  
  
Boxey (Noah Hathaway) - Apollo's adopted son and a young recruit of the Viper squads  
  
Sheba (Anne Lockhart) - The current second in command on the Galactica  
  
Bojay (Jack Stauffer) - A former warrior who is now the commander on the Pegasus  
  
Jolly (Tony Swartz) - A former warrior who is now second in command on the Pegasus  
  
  
STARMAN:  
Paul Forrester (Robert Hays) - An alien on the run from the government who just wants to be with his family. Both times that he came to Earth he cloned himself a Human body so that he could survive the environment. He also has powers   
  
Scott Hayden (C.B. Barnes) - The son of Paul Forrester and Jenny Hayden. He is still a teenager and just learning how to use his powers  
  
Jenny Hayden (Erin Gray) - A Human who bore a child with an alien and has been on the run ever since from the government  
  
George Fox (Michael Cavanaugh) - A federal agent who is determined to prove himself by bringing in the 'starman'  
  
  
QUANTUM LEAP:  
Dr. Samuel Beckett (Scott Bakula) - A time traveler who had gotten stuck in his new project traveling through time and found that in order to possibly get home he would have to change certain past events in peoples lives  
  
Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell) - A friend of Sam's who helped give him information and advice while appearing to him as a hologram  
  
  
STARGATE - SG-1:   
*Alternate universe before the stargate was ever used and before any of the characters ever met.  
  
Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) - A LA college student who joined the Resistance and using his language skills to create unbreakable codes. Once he was caught, Diana was willing to try breaking him to get his codes deciphered  
  
Gen. George Hammond (Don S. Davis) - In charge of the United States military operations in the southwest against the Visitor invasion, Hammond became a challenge to the Visitors until he was captured specifically for Diana.   
  
Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) - A young captain with a wife and baby boy at home, Jack had been given the responsibility of transporting supplies out of Chicago to the military zones  
  
Capt. Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) - An eighteen-year-old young woman who joined the military with her friends to help fight the Visitors  
  
  
THE INCREDIBLE HULK  
*Alternate Universe since I am having it take place in the same universe as the V and Battlestar Galactica storylines. Everything happens according to the Hulk TV series and then the Visitors show up.  
  
Dr. David Bruce Banner (Bill Bixby) / The Hulk (Lou Ferrigno) - Dr. Banner was trying to use gamma radiation as a means of tapping super-strength and healing abilities that he thought lay dormant in all mankind. Something went wrong with his experiment and the Hulk was born. Unfortunately, the Hulk was also blamed for Banner's death. He travels alone as a drifter trying to find a cure and usually helps others along the way. Currently, Ham dragged him and another of other doctors against their will out of a hospital in order to try free people from the cryogenic chambers in the mothership  
  
Jack McGee (Jack Colvin) - A news reporter for the National Register, Jack was the first to see the Hulk. Ever since he had been trying to prove the Hulks existence despite the obstacles. However, once the Visitors came and their true intentions were revealed, Jack joined the Freedom Network to help spread good news of the Resistances fights against the Visitors to encourage the Human race.  
  
***** 


	6. Chapter 6

HALLS OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
A large troop of Visitors marched down the hall. Lydia had called her best and most loyal fighters to guard the Leader as he was moved to a shuttlecraft. The Leader himself had checked each of their minds to make sure that Diana had not tampered with them. Eight of those had been executed on the spot because the Leader didn't want to waste his strength to correct their brainwashed loyalties. In the middle of the group of soldiers walked the Leader and Lydia followed by two large soldiers dragging the groaning figure of George Fox.  
  
"It's a shame that Diana will be dying on this ship. Fitting, I suppose, but still a shame," murmured the Leader as they moved down the hall.  
  
"As much as I would like to have her corpse at my feet, I believe she will find some way to survive." Lydia looked over at the Leader. "Survival is what she is best at. Right after treachery."  
  
"If she survives this, then she is definitely worthy of being my mate," commented the Leader. "But I will have to find an outlet for her more devious tendencies."  
  
"Perhaps what you and she need is a harem."  
  
The Leader took a moment to consider Lydia. While he had mentally reinforced her loyalties to him, he had left her own crafty and devious nature intact. "I can see why having a harem would benefit me, but how would my having a harem benefit Diana?"  
  
"Simple. It would give Diana people to plot against for your attention and affection."  
  
The Leader laughed loudly at the thought.  
  
"It would work even better if added a known rival of Diana's to the harem."  
  
"Such as yourself," concluded the Leader. The Leader had been noticing Lydia throwing hints of affection at him for a while now, but with everything going on he hadn't been able to think much about it. He could sense her genuine attraction to him, but he knew that, while not to the same degree as Diana, Lydia also hungered for power. "It is an interesting idea. I will have to give it some thought. And then, only if Diana does survive."  
  
Laser blasts suddenly filled the air and the guards began falling all around the Leader. Lydia quickly pulled the Leader with her, hugging the side of the wall. Looking around frantically, she could see that her soldiers weren't going to last much longer. Spotting a possible avenue of escape, Lydia pulled on one of the hatches leading into the ventilation system. As soon as she got it off, however, the first thing she saw was a laser pistol pointed straight at her head.  
  
"Going somewhere?" asked a familiar voice.  
  
Lydia cursed at her luck. All the fighting behind her had ceased, but she didn't have to guess who had won.  
  
Juliet Parrish slowly stepped out of the hatch while keeping her weapon trained on her enemy. "My, my, imagine finding you here." Behind her, a woman with an oddly-ridged forehead and wearing a black and yellow spandex uniform took away Lydia's pistol. Lydia was surprised to see a red-haired woman in a similar uniform colored blue and black attempting to treat some of the survivors with the help of a young man in a yellow and black uniform.  
  
The Leader, right next to Lydia, was about to use his powers to seize the Human female's mind when he saw someone he recognized. "Philip!" he bellowed. "What is the meaning of this outrage!"  
  
Philip, with a look of resolve on his face, just stepped up to the being he had honored more than any other. "We have a few things we would like to discuss with you. We are hoping your answers will-"  
  
"I don't have to answer any of your questions!" roared the large lizard man. "I'M the Leader! You accept whatever I tell you!" He was about to reestablish his mental hold on Philip when he noticed all the weapons pointed at him. More weapons held by more hands than he could currently control right now. What really angered him was that he could see that half of the weapons pointed at him were being held by his own people. His forked tongue flickered slightly out of his mouth for a second as he took in the situation. Frustration built in his head as he realized he would have to wait for now and strike when the opportunity was right.  
  
Philip was about to try again when a messenger ran up to him and handed him a note. With the internal communications of the ship down in large areas of the mothership, messengers were the most reliable way to get information back and forth. Philip read the paper in stunned silence; then read it a second time to be sure of what it said.  
  
"Well?" asked Mike Donovan.  
  
Wordlessly, Philip handed the paper over to the Leader.  
  
"What does it say?" asked Mike again.  
  
Philip looked up at everyone, the weariness of the matter laid heavily on him. "We have received a communication from outside of this solar system. It was a warning of a new threat headed our way called the Cylons."  
  
"By the Lords of Kobol!"  
  
Philip looked over at the two Colonial Warriors. "You know of this threat?"  
  
"Yes," answered Apollo. "The warning was most likely sent by my people. We have fought the Cylons for over a thousand yahrens. They are determined to wipe out the race of Man wherever they find it."  
  
Philip chose to forgo the history lesson. "How dangerous are four BaseShips? Because that is what the message says is headed our way."  
  
"Very dangerous!" spat Starbuck. "We lost twelve planets to the Cylon BaseShips."  
  
"Show me," spoke up the Leader.  
  
"What? What the Cylons can do? I don't have any data on me," replied the warrior.  
  
"You have your mind," pointed out the Leader.  
  
"If you think I'm going to let you mess around with my mind, then you are out of your mind!" snapped Starbuck.  
  
General Hammond stepped up. "I think, if I am understanding him right, what he is asking is just a quick peek of what we are up against."  
  
Starbuck remained obstinate. "And what if he decides to do some rearranging while he's in there?"  
  
Mike leveled his weapon at the Leader's head. "We won't give him time to do that."  
  
Starbuck looked over at Apollo, who nodded his consent as well as pointing another weapon at the Leader's head. "Alright, but only a quick look."  
  
Julie came around and looked the Leader in the eye. "You have twenty seconds. If you are in his head longer than that then we'll blow your head off. Any questions?"  
  
"Yes. Whatever happened to trust?" he asked snidely.  
  
Philip leaned forward. "You abused that long ago, so that just leaves you with us and these weapons at your head."  
  
"You too, Philip?" The Leader shook his head in mock surprise. "Very well." The large reptilian man turned to Starbuck. "Let's get this over with."  
  
It was a tense 20 seconds as Starbuck felt his mind rush through all his encounters with the Cylons. "Enough!" he shouted as he turned away, breathing heavily.  
  
"I agree," commented the Leader. "These Cylons will not settle with just for wiping out your race. They will attack my people as well. That I can not allow." He looked down at Lydia, who was also looking up at him. "We can not fight them alone. Not with our home planet dying and our hold on this one not fully established yet." His gaze took in General Hammond. "We must join forces if any of our people are to survive."  
  
Hammond nodded. "I thought you might see it that way."  
  
"I do see a couple of major obstacles," interjected Mike. "The first is this Borg menace that we have only heard of. The second, however, is what may prove to be a real problem."  
  
"What's that?" Julie asked.  
  
"There is no way that Ham is going to give up command of this ship now that he has taken it over."  
  
*****  
  
A RESEARCH WORK AREA NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
Scott was winded. He was getting more practice with his powers in the last ten minutes than he had in the last year. Focusing his concentration through the metal ball he held in his right hand, Scott was able to pick up one of the small lab tools and send it speedily towards one of the drones coming through the open door. Just before it got to his intended victim, he changed the energy holding the tool to a slightly different wavelength so that it could pass through the defense screens around the Borg's body.  
  
His father had shown him that trick, which really surprised him. Usually, his father was against violence and adamantly against killing, but in this situation it seemed more like a merciful release.  
  
As the drone's body fell to the floor, Scott made the count of six Borg bodies in the doorway, four in the outer hall and three just inside the room. "A few more like this and we'll have the door blocked with their bodies."  
  
The Doctor shook his head. "They would just try another means of entering."  
  
Kyle agreed and began moving some more of the benches around, with Leela's help, for protection in case the drones came at them from another angle.  
  
"We just can't sit here!" Jenny pointed out with a note of fear in her voice. "Those things will just keep attacking until-"  
  
Paul used his power to cause one of the drones to fall fatally in the hall. Reaching over, he pulled his wife to him, to comfort her as much as him. "Only two things matter right now. The time we have had together as a family and keeping those things out there from hurting other people."  
  
Kyle knelt down in back of Elizabeth. He didn't want to disturb her since she was focusing her powers on those trying to come through the door. Turning to the doctor, he asked, "Which is more important to them right now: us or the colossal frisbee over there? Because if it is us then I say we give them a run for their money right now and leave."  
  
"Unfortunately, both." The Doctor popped a jellybaby in his mouth. "Since we proved ourselves to be so formidable, the Borg have become interested in us as individuals. And when the Borg find something interesting, they absorb it."  
  
"So we can't leave it and the Borg guys are too insistent on recruiting us to just let us go," stated Scott. He was taking a moment to gather his strength. "Too bad the stargate thing wasn't smaller. We could take it with us." He risked a look over at the doorway even as Leela shot down another drone. "Hey, how'd they get that thing in here anyway?"  
  
"Pardon?" the Doctor asked.  
  
"How did they get that," he pointed at the stargate, "in here? I mean look at it, those doors are no where near the size they would need to be to bring star-thingie in here. The halls weren't big enough either. So how did they do it?"  
  
"Ah!" The Doctor's eyes widened in excitement. "So you surmise that if we deduce how the Visitors brought the stargate into this room, then we may be able to move the stargate out the same way!"  
  
"Um, yeah. Sure. That's what I meant." Scott turned back to face the Borg. He had decided that the Doctor was just a little too weird for comfort.  
  
"K-9! Scan the structure of this room. Try to determine how the stargate device was brought into this room."  
  
"Analysis complete, master," chirped the computerized dog.  
  
"That was quick," commented the Doctor. "Well, out with it already."  
  
"Scanning reveals that this room is actually a shuttlecraft. The wall opposite to where the drones are trying to gain entrance is actually a loading ramp."  
  
"Wonderful!" cried the Doctor. "Now where are the controls?"  
  
Jenny put a hand on the Doctor's shoulder. "What are you planning on doing?"  
  
"Quite simple, really," said the time-lord with a smile. "We'll just us the controls to disengage this research shuttle from the mothership and fly it away from-"   
  
"But what about the hole the Borg made where that door used to be?" asked Kyle. "The mothership has taken off into the atmosphere. We're most likely in outer space now. If we separate now, we are all dead!"  
  
"Yes," the Doctor nodded, wide-eyed and a serious look on his face. "If we remained in this room, we would be dead. That is why we will be leaving."  
  
Scott looked confused. "But how will we be able to use the controls to detach it from the mothership?"  
  
"Ah!" said the Doctor. "A very good question. WE won't, K-9 will be the one operating the controls. Since he does not need air to breathe, K-9 can safely see to the separating of this warehouse-sized research vessel and should be able to bring it back when I summon him by radio. Does that sound like a good plan to you, K-9?"  
  
The little canine-like unit did a quick scan of the controls of the detachable room-vessel. "The hypothesis is within my abilities to perform, master."  
  
"Good boy, K-9," complimented the Doctor. "As for the rest of you, listen carefully..."   
  
They didn't take long because the plan was very simplistic. Paul, the starman, kept the drones away from the doorway while the others moved to the other side of the room. Once there they entered the ventilation shaft that Diana had escaped through earlier. At that point Elizabeth, the starchild, and Scott, the starboy, used their powers together to cover Paul escape to where they were. Once they were all there, the three of them used their powers to send the desks flying at the door the Borg were insisting to come through, effectively barricading it for at least a short while.  
  
While this was all going on, K-9 was preparing the warehouse-sized vessel for take off. Once his companions had entered the ventilation system of the mothership, K-9 had all access hatches to the mothership sealed except for the one that the drones had destroyed upon entering the room.  
  
With a sudden drop, the research vessel was free of the mothership. All the air flooded out into the blackness of space, pulling off the desks that had barricaded the open door. K-9 stayed there, his magnetic locks keeping him snuggly fastened to the floor even as the last of the air left the room.  
  
Alone, the ever vigilante K-9 began strolling around the room to familiarize himself with the area like a good guard dog. Satisfied that there were no more enemies to deal with, K-9 parked himself in front of the stargate and waited to hear from his master.  
  
*****  
  
CRYOGENIC STORAGE AREA  
The Hulk roared loudly. The Resistance fighters that had been setting up to repeal the Borg attack suddenly found themselves having to reposition themselves from the green goliath that had suddenly appeared between them and their enemy.  
  
"Don't shoot!" Samantha jumped up between her fellow Resistance fighters and the Hulk. She caught Jack O'Neill's eye where he was coordinating the placement of more men and women. "It won't stop him and it will only make him angry at us."  
  
Everything seemed to stop. The Humans waited for orders. The Hulk was taking in his surroundings and looking at the loud yelling woman who didn't seem to be a threat to him. However, the Hulk didn't like all the guns pointed at him and he was growling at the soldiers. The Borg drones had stopped and were scanning the Hulk from a few yards away trying to determine if this was a new species or not, as well as determining how to process him.  
  
"How--" began Captain O'Neill, but Samantha interrupted him  
  
"Just let the others be the aggressors. The Hulk, the green giant guy, will take care of them. If we were to attack him, it would be disastrous." To emphasize her point, she placed her hand on one of the hanging gel packs next to her which still contained a Human host.  
  
"Stand down, men!" Captain O'Neill commanded. "Lower your weapons but keep them handy."  
  
The Hulk continued to look at the soldiers suspiciously. Taking a step back, he bumped into one of the cryogenic gel packs with a hibernating black man inside. The Hulk went to touch the curious looking object, but something inside him made him stop.  
  
Movement behind him drew his attention back to the strange pale people slowly moving toward him. The Hulk roared at them but they continued toward him, failing to heed his warning. The closest drone, a Visitor who had most of his scaly face revealed, extended its tubules for implanting the Borg nanites.  
  
The Hulk immediately recognized the tubules as a weapon even if he didn't fully understand their function. The Hulk lashed out with one of his arms, hitting the drone back into the metal wall. The drone fell to the floor like a broken cheap plastic toy.  
  
The Hulk roared loudly again, expecting his attackers to run away. However, to his amazement his strangely attired foes did not even hesitate to close the distance between them. By now all the drones had out their tubules extended from one of their arms. One drone fired a beam meant to stun him, but the Hulk just shrugged it off and became angrier.  
  
The Hulk looked around for something to throw at the drones. He was about to grab one of the cryogenic gel packs, but something inside him stopped him again. Another energy beam of higher intensity hit him in the shoulder and the green mass of muscle howled in pain and anger. The Hulk stepped away from the gel cocoons and prepared to take on his enemies.   
  
Samantha ran forward, keeping low, pushing one of the carts they had been using as a gurney. The Hulk turned to intercept her thinking she was attacking him as well. Samantha prayed as fast as she could in her head asking God for guidance and protection. "Use this," she told the towering green man. She pushed the cart the last couple of feet towards him. "Pick it up and throw it at them," she shouted as she pantomimed what she was trying to get him to do.  
  
A Borg laser beam struck Samantha in the chest, dropping her, unconscious, to the floor. The Hulk howled in outrage. He grabbed the cart with his right hand and swung it like a bat, killing two drones instantly. Then he hefted the cart over his head and threw it at three drones just entering the doorway, blocking the door temporarily with the wreckage.  
  
A remaining drone stepped forward, closing the remaining distance between them. It reached forward with its prosthetic arm, bringing its weapon to play. The Hulk grabbed the device and squeezed it till it began to crumple in his hand.  
  
Seeing an opening, the drone stabbed outward with his other arm. The tubules entered into the Hulk's abdomen, injecting the nanites. Bellowing in pain, the green behemoth's fist slammed down on the drone's head, effectively crushing the drone like a soda pop can.  
  
The Hulk looked up but didn't see anyone else trying to attack him. He reached a hand down to his stomach and gingerly touched the green blood that was there. He winced a little at the pain but dismissed it. His pains always left him after a little while.  
  
He looked down at the young blond woman that had been shot by the Borg. Kneeling down, he could see that she was breathing but for some reason he was still worried about her. He gently reached down and scooped the unconscious woman into his arms. Looking over at the Resistance fighters, he noticed that some of them were wearing the same red clothing as the woman in his arms. He took a couple of steps toward them, watching for any signs of hostility. In his experience, most people were hostile towards him. Especially those with guns like these people had.  
  
"Everybody, hold your fire!" Jack O'Neill stood up from where he had been taking cover. He slowly put down his weapon and made sure that the large green man saw him doing it. Taking a deep breath he stepped toward the Hulk. Briefly, he wondered how Dr. Baker had become this monstrous thing, but put that thought aside as irrelevant to the moment.  
  
He saw the patient that Samantha had been working on cowering from the creature's sight behind another gurney. But for some reason, O'Neill didn't think the man was hiding out of fear but because he didn't want to distract it.  
  
Behind the Hulk, a figure slowly got to its feet. The Hulk and O'Neill both looked over at a horrific sight. Dr. Chris Carter was slowly getting to his feet. Tendrils of gray cybernetic veins covered his pale skin. A zoned-out dead look was in his eyes. And he just stood there waiting. For something.  
  
The Hulk turned back to O'Neill. O'Neill took a step forward to take the young woman from him when the Hulk suddenly doubled over in pain. The captain quickly grabbed the girl before the green giant hit the floor. Quickly backing away, O'Neill watch as the emerald beast-like man convulsed on the floor leaving deep dents wherever he kicked or hit.  
  
Setting down Samantha, O'Neill motioned to one of the remaining doctors to look at her. Looking back at the bizarre battlefield, the captain checked to see what was happening.   
  
The Hulk had stopped thrashing about and had propped himself up against a wall. He was breathing heavy and his eyes were closed. Even as O'Neill watched small gray veins slowly spread from his abdomen to the rest of his body.  
  
From behind the gurney, Jack McGee watched in horrific fascination at the events transpiring around him. The girl had taken his advice and actually got the Hulk to fight the strange invaders, but now the Hulk seemed to be infected by whatever it was that had zombified the other doctor. "I can't believe it!" he said to himself. "The Hulk is turning gray!"  
  
The nearly naked reporter started to climb to his feet. "He can't just sit there. He'll die!" Despite a slight vertigo feeling, he started to hurry over to his longtime prey. "Get up, you green buffoon! After all these years, I'm not going to catch up to you just in time to write your epitaph!"  
  
He stood right in front of him, but the Hulk was ignoring him. As they both watched, the grayish veins had spread almost entirely across his chest.  
  
"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Desperate to do something but not wanting to get within reach of the creature's long green arms, McGee scooped up some of the gel that remained on his chest and flung it at the sitting beast.  
  
The Hulk was startled and looked up at the loud man before him.  
  
"That's right! Look at me! Jack McGee, reporter at large! Writer of numerous stories of a giant green man!"  
  
The Hulk felt another spasm of pain and looked down in incomprehension at the gray veins on his chest.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" McGee took the small blanket from around his waist and twirled it until it was nice and tight, then snapped the Hulk on the bottom of his foot.  
  
The Hulk howled in anger. McGee snapped it again, only this time he got the Hulk on the side of one of his calves.  
  
"Are you insane?" hollered O'Neill at the naked reporter.  
  
"Shaddup! I'm working here!"   
  
Jack lashed out again, snapping the emerald behemoth in the chest. The creature made a grab for the material but McGee was too quick for him.  
  
"You are not going to just lay down and die, you stupid beast!" taunted the reporter. Noticing the Hulk's angry expression, McGee decided to up the ante and tagged the creature hard on the nose with a quick shot.  
  
The Hulk growled menacingly as he got to his feet.  
  
"That's right! Come to poppa!" McGee slowly moved backwards, but still made snapping gestures with the blanket to egg the Hulk on.  
  
An explosion knocked him off his feet. Coughing and dazed, he tried to right himself and see what was going on. The first thing he saw through the smoke was that the Hulk had not been knocked off his feet, but was standing just a few feet from him. Secondly, the Hulk's attention was not on him but on the place where the explosion originated.  
  
Stepping through the wreckage of the formerly blocked doorway were more of the Borg drones. The Hulk roared in anger as he flexed his muscles. McGee wasn't sure with all the smoke, but it seemed that the gray growth on the Hulk's chest had stopped spreading and may have possibly started receding. Maybe he had been right. Maybe all the good Doctor Banner needed was to get the gamma radiated blood flowing to heal whatever it was that had infected him.  
  
Deciding that it was most likely not in his best interest to stay there, McGee began crawling his way over towards the Resistance fighters. "Anyone got a blanket? I seem to feel a draft all over."  
  
O'Neill ignored the naked man's request and was busy organizing the men and women around him. "Aid the green thing however you can but do not get near it. And for now do not trust it. It could possibly attack us as easily as it attacked whatever those things were."  
  
He noted the damage to a couple more cryogenic packs near the fighting. "I also want as many of those cryro-pods opened as fast as we possibly can. Get on it."  
  
He looked down at a doctor that was examining Samantha. "How is she?"  
  
The doctor looked up with a tired look in his eye. "She seems fine. Whatever it was that hit her seemed to just stun her." The doctor looked relieved. "I guess they don't want to kill us."  
  
O'Neill looked over to where the Hulk was bashing two drones with the body of a third. And to the side O'Neill noted another drone leading the zombie-like Dr. Chris Carter away. "No," he answered. "They don't want to kill us. They seem to have another use for us altogether."  
  
He left one of his men in charge while he went to find the radios that they had brought with them. He needed to have a talk with Ham Tyler.  
  
*****  
  
LYDIA'S OFFICE  
Lydia's office was more crowded than usual. Although the people that said they were a part of Starfleet had gone to help fight the Borg problem in one of the Cryogenic storage areas, there were still a number of people standing around the room, most of them with hostile or hurt feelings towards the Leader, who sat in Lydia's chair.  
  
So far communication with places outside the mothership was fine. To solve the problem of intraship communication, the Resistance fighters were using radio waves boosted by relay systems that they had spread around the ship as they went.  
  
The Leader was having a hard time accepting defeat. He had had a short talk with Tyler over the radio and the frustrating Human was determined that the Leader was not leaving the mothership. 'The Fixer' was all for evacuating unessential personnel in light of the Borg threat, however, he had also stated that if the Leader so much as stepped foot outside of Lydia's office that Tyler would shoot down every shuttlecraft that tried to leave.  
  
"How dare he risk my life!" shouted the Leader as he voiced his outrage.  
  
"What's the matter?" George Fox sat a few feet away where Julie treated his superficial wounds. "Don't you like being a hostage?" George had ceased playing possum once his captors had been over taken. He had been more than happy to reveal all the things he had overheard Lydia and the Leader talking about. Including the mental conversion of Lydia.  
  
The Leader scowled at the human but didn't dare do anything at the moment. There would come a time. All he had to do was wait and seize it. Then there would be a great deal of payback.  
  
Lydia gently rubbed the back of the Leader's neck. "Shouldn't you be coordinating the attack of the other motherships?" she pointed out.  
  
The Leader opened a channel to his own private mothership. At least he could vent his frustrations by killing these Cylon invaders.  
  
Donovan walked over to a sulking Philip who was leaning against the wall glaring daggers at the Leader. "I won't ask what you are contemplating. All I ask is that you at least wait till after these Borg and Cylon threats are over before doing whatever it is you are going to do."  
  
Philip shook his head. "I can't kill him, Mike."  
  
Mike thought about it for a moment. "One of those hypnotic block things to prevent assassination?"  
  
"I wish it were that simple. No." He looked around at a number of other Visitor Fifth Columnists that were talking to Daniel Jackson, Samuel Beckett and Al Calavicci. In a far corner, he could see Willie still trying to console Thelma over the recent revelations. "I've been told that when news spread that the Leader was dead, many of my people began sinking into a deep depression." He took a sip of water to relieve the dryness in his throat. "A couple of hours ago, a large number of suicides were reported from every mothership."  
  
Mike was horrified. "You don't think he set it up that way, do you? So that your race would end when he died?"  
  
Philip shook his head. "No. But I do think that because of the way that he has been using his power that my people have become very dependent on him. And unless there is some type of closure, many of my people will have no will to go on. He can't die a second time."   
  
"Is there anything we can do?"  
  
"Nothing comes to mind. But I pray to Zon that he send a guiding hand to save his people."  
  
Mike felt a little awkward. "I didn't know you were religious."  
  
"My mother was. I had always thought I was some sort of cultural foolishness. But now, I'm not so sure. I think that in my youth I just didn't want to face the possibilities and responsibilities of being a believer. I guess I felt that as long as I didn't formally become a follower of Zon that I couldn't be held accountable for any sins in my life." He took another sip of his water. "What about you?"  
  
"Religion was never big with my mother. She was more into the luxuries life had to offer than spiritual matters."  
  
"So you've never...thought of a higher power?" the alien asked his Human friend.  
  
Mike paused. "Sometimes late at night when I can't sleep. Or after a battle and I see one of the other recruits praying. Personally, I think I'll get around to seriously thinking about it when I'm older."  
  
Philip shook his head. "It's rather sad, isn't it?"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"That people like you and me, who live very dangerous lives, still put aside important matters to consider later. Even when we know later may never come for us." Philip finished his glass and put it down on a nearby shelf. "I'm glad I stopped putting it off. I think you should reconsider it, too."  
  
Mike hated awkward subjects like this. "I'll think about it."  
  
"You do that. I'm going to see if Willie is having any luck comforting Thelma."  
  
"Alright." Mike sat down and watched his friend walk across the room. Glancing over at the bound and gagged figure propped up near him in a corner, he saw Lieutenant James scowling at him. "So tell me, do you spend a lot of time praying?"  
  
*****  
  
THE BRIDGE OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
Ham was feeling good. He had risked his life and the lives of his men on a mad scheme to take over this mothership. Now he was risking them again. This time, however, if he didn't succeed the Earth was surely doomed.  
  
Ham Tyler looked at the viewscreen to study the dozens of motherships circling his ship. "Hey, Hugo, what do you call someone who thinks he has enemies all around him just waiting to attack?"  
  
"Uh, paranoid," answered the young Visitor.  
  
"Wrong. He's perceptive."  
  
"I don't see--"  
  
"Take me for example," stated Ham. "If you Visitors don't get me, then the Borg will. If not them, they most likely these Cylons that we have never heard of before. And if somehow I survive long enough to get back to Earth, the politicians and other riffraff will try to get me for one reason or other. I'd probably end up retiring and then the boredom would kill me. Or worse. I could end up finding a woman." He took a moment to cross his arms and take in a deep breath. "Once a woman has you, you are as good as dead already. You just don't know it."  
  
"Ham Tyler! You're as much a pessimist as ever!" Coming through the main entrance to the bridge was an old acquaintance from Tyler's past.  
  
"George Hammond!" Ham walked over and shook his hand vigorously.  
  
"That's General to you, Tyler," joked Hammond.   
  
Tyler took a moment to look him over. "You've lost weight."  
  
"There has been a war on, you know."  
  
"Haven't heard from you in a while. Thought they got you."  
  
Hammond nodded. "They did. They left me in a holding cell with your friends Mike and Julie. We were lucky to find such resourceful people to help us out of there."  
  
"Yeah, Gooder was telling me about that on the radio."  
  
"'Gooder'?"  
  
"My nickname for Mike because he's such a do-gooder. Trust me, he has worse names for me."  
  
Hammond nodded. "From what I hear you've earned quite a few of them."  
  
Tyler smiled. "Don't believe everything you hear. I don't."  
  
General Hammond ran his eye over the different activities at the various consoles. "So show me what you have put together here."  
  
"Afraid I can't do that."  
  
"What? I'm a superior officer!"  
  
Ham nodded. "Yes sir, you are. However, you also were also a prisoner here on this ship for a while."  
  
Hammond sighed. He knew where this was going. "You're saying that Diana may have converted my mind."  
  
"There is that," admitted Ham. "There is also the fact that you were just in close contact with the Leader."  
  
"And he may have changed my loyalties with his mental abilities." Hammond sighed. "You really have to do something about that paranoia problem of yours."  
  
"Trust me. It's no problem. And if you were in my place you would be wondering the same thing."  
  
They stood there in silence for a moment as they thought about the matter. "Fine. You're in charge," agreed Hammond. "Its only fair since you set this all up in the first place."  
  
"I think you'll like what I have in mind."  
  
"Sir," called Hugo. "We have a visual on the Cylons. They are coming in fast."  
  
Hammond followed Tyler over to the captain's chair. "Have you tried talking to them?"  
  
"Yes," answered Ham. He sounded too distracted to give the general's questions much thought. "Talked with some robot named Lucifer. He gave a mild apology and said there was nothing he could do at this point but conclude his mission of exterminating all of mankind and all of its allies."  
  
Hammond's eyebrows raised. "But the Visitors weren't our allies."  
  
Ham gave the general a smile. "I wasn't about to point that out to them. As it is now, the Visitors are fighting with us."  
  
"I see." As they watched the screen, other motherships started moving into position. "So what is the game plan?"  
  
"I've been doing some planning with the Leader by radio. He has a number of proven plans for fighting with motherships. Our mothership will stay in the rear because we have the Leader on board. The captains of the other vessels insisted. Besides, I don't know all the damage that the Borg problem has caused to the interior of this vessel."  
  
As they watched, thirty Visitor motherships moved to confront the four Cylon BaseShips. The first mothership dove underneath the BaseShip, delivering round after round of blasts from its laser batteries with little effect. Two more motherships went after the first, firing as they passed by. Shots from the BaseShip severely damaged sections of the second mothership's hull causing it to veer away.  
  
"Not good," remarked the general.  
  
"But now we know what they are capable of."  
  
"And what we are not capable of," pointed out Hammond. "We're sitting ducks for the Cylons."  
  
"That would be the case except that the Leader brought back a rather dangerous surprise from Sirius IV."  
  
As they watched more motherships flew by the Cylon vessels, but at a greater distance. The barrage of laser batteries struck with minimal effect. Before the Cylons returned fire, one of the motherships attacked with a different weapon. The Cylon BaseShip that had been hit exploded like a supernova, knocking the three remaining Cylon vessels off course.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Ham smiled. "A Particle Beam Triax. Remember, the Visitors used it to blow up Jupiter's moon, Io, to try intimidate us."  
  
"But if the motherships have that type of power then why are they bothering with the weaker laser attacks?"  
  
"Because the other motherships aren't armed with Particle Beam Triaxes," explained Tyler. "The Leader only let a few be made so he alone could be in control of them."  
  
Hammond looked out at the fleet of ships. "So now the enemy knows which vessel has the Triax weapon on it."  
  
"Do they?" asked Ham.  
  
The motherships were flying amongst themselves like a small tornado.  
  
"What are they doing?"  
  
"Better question is can you tell me which ship has the Particle Beam Triax now?"  
  
Hammond laughed. "The old shell game! The Cylons won't know which mothership to shoot at! No wonder they call you 'The Fixer'!"  
  
***** 


	7. Chapter 7

1.1 FOOD PREPARATION AREA  
  
Boomer was not having a good day. He and his men had taken over the Food Preparation Area easily enough, but that was when things had gotten complicated. They had found twelve workers in the area preparing four humans, a horse, two cows, a hippo, fourteen cats, fifteen dogs, and three porpoises, all freshly dead and cut up alongside cages and jars containing live specimens of thousands of various rodents, lizards, amphibians and insects for consumption. After capturing all the workers and getting the right ones to work on Chris Faber, with a modest amount of persuasion, one of Boomer's Warriors found the pantry where the Visitors held seven live Humans that had been going to soon be food for the Visitors. They were in shock to say the least and wandering around looking in horrific fascination at everything around them.  
  
"It's enough to make me wish we were still on the island," murmured the redhead in the white evening gown. "At least the headhunters we met there were expected to be barbaric."  
  
The short brunette had gone over to the corpse of the large black horse and began crying. "I've dream of seeing horses again for so many years and … and to finally find one butchered like this!" She fell to her knees sobbing, yet without looking she reached out to take a handful of the horse's mane.  
  
The redhead quickly went over to her friend and quietly did what she could to console her friend while eyeing daggers at the red-uniformed Visitors that were across the room.  
  
The thin red-shirted man quickly hurried over after grabbed something off one of the nearby tables. "Hey," he said in a quiet soothing voice, "look what I found. I think this was high on your list of things you wanted to see again, right?"  
  
The brunette lifted her head to see the squirming little basset hound puppy her friend was holding out to her. Without even thinking she let go of the dead horse's mane and pulled the live puppy close to her face where she began covering it with tears. Not to be outdone, the little puppy reached up and began licking her face.  
  
A large heavyset man wearing a blue T-shirt and white pants patted the thin man on the back. "Good job, little buddy," he complimented quietly so as not to disturb the brunette woman.  
  
The thin man just nodded and wiped away a tear of his own. "We should put a sheet over-- over everything. Cover all of this. No one should ever see something like this."  
  
The heavyset man nodded grimly and pointed over to some tablecloths that they could use.  
  
Another thin man that had introduced himself as Roy Hinkley was watching over the shoulders of some of the Visitors working on Chris Faber. Cassie, Boomer's informal Visitor liaison, was having a little difficulty keeping the curious scientist away. Boomer was just about to ask him to step back so they could do their work when he noticed the last two members of the group step up to him. They were an older couple, but the man seemed a little too sure of himself and Boomer wasn't sure he liked that.  
  
"Pardon me, my good man. The others say that you are the one in charge around here. My name is Thurston Howell III and this is my wife, Eunice Wentworth Howell, though I call her Lovey." He smiled broadly at Boomer for a moment, but when he noticed that it was having no effect he started talking again. "Now, for all your efforts to rescue us from these…these…uncouth creatures I'd like to award you with a million dollars!" He stepped closer as if to whisper something to him in confidence. "Of course to collect this reward you would have to make sure my wife and I get back safely to the United States. The New England area preferably. Or near Wall Street if you can manage it."  
  
"Now Thurston," interrupted his wife, "we really should go home first to make sure everything is where we left it."  
  
"Yes, dear," agreed the man, "but we should also make sure that all our stocks are still there."  
  
"Certainly they will be there. The stocks are always on Wall Street. Where else would they have gone?"  
  
Thurston's face took on a little concern. "Oh, there are places they could go. That's why we should check on them first." Turning from his wife, Thurston put an arm around Boomer's shoulder. "And this is the man that will get us there! Right?"  
  
Boomer's eyebrows furrowed. "What's a dollar?"  
  
"What's a dollar? What's a dollar?" He grabbed towards his heart and gasped.  
  
Mrs. Howell quickly helped her husband over to one of the empty carts nearby and helped him lay down. "Oh, look at what you've done!" she accused.  
  
As Boomer began verbally defending himself from Mrs. Howell, Mr. Howell was regaining his composer. Turning his head to see what was next to him he found himself staring in the still eyes of one of the butchered porpoises. "Aiiiiieeeee!" Leaping up from the food cart, the old millionaire almost fell into the arms of Boomer, but instead knocked them both over.  
  
"Oh, dear." Mrs. Howell looked around for help. "Professor? Skippr? Gilligan?"  
  
Professor Hickley came over filled with excitement. As he helped the two fallen men up he explained his exuberance. "The device they are using to correct that man's heart problems is fascinating yet very simplistic! I believe I could build a crude version out of coconuts and--"  
  
"No!" shouted Mr. Howell. "I never want to see, taste or even hear anything concerning coconuts ever again!" The rest of the former-castaways except for the short brunette woman and the skinny man agreed wholeheartedly with the millionaire. Mary Ann had saved all her notes and had been planning on writing a book when they were rescued called '1000 Ways To Use Coconuts In Your Diet.' Gilligan, however, had become so accustomed to coconuts that he was addicted.  
  
The seven of them had been stranded together on an island for over twenty years. Their only contact from the rest of the world was by radio. It was from that very radio that they had heard about the alien Visitors and the attack on the planet. It had only been a few days ago when they had been gathered around their bamboo dining table eating one of Mary Ann's coconut cream pies when a Visitor shuttlecraft flew overhead and 'rescued' them.  
  
One of Boomer's men was starting to come over to see what was going on but Boomer waved him back. He wasn't sure what the old man's problem was but he was sure he could handle it.  
  
Mr. Howell turned to state his problem to the others. "How can any American not know what a dollar is?" He turned to address Boomer again. "Did these aliens do something to your mind?"  
  
Boomer shook his head. "I'm not an American, whatever that is. But I am Human like you even though I grew up on another planet called Caprica. My people have been searching the stars for the lost colony of Man for yahrens. Now we have arrived here on Earth and we are prepared to help you, our long lost cousins."  
  
Boomer let all that sink in for a moment. Turning to the hefty man wearing the blue shirt who seemed most likely to be in charge, Boomer found that he was unsure how to address him. Unlike his people, these distant relatives of his seemed to all have more than one name for themselves yet they seemed to only use one of those names when being addressed. He had to decide whether to use the name Jonas or Grumby in his address to the man but unfortunately he hadn't noticed any patterns in how the others addressed each other. Oh well, he thought, it's probably safer to be formal. "Mr. Grumby-"  
  
"Call me Skipper!" he laughed awkwardly. "Everybody does, cousin!"  
  
Boomer barely kept his eyes form rolling. "Skipper, the man that has taken over this vessel, Mr. Tyler, is currently evacuating this vessel of all non- essential personnel. As soon as Chris Faber's heart treatment is over, we will be taking you all to Earth."  
  
"Wait a minute," demanded Ginger Grant, the former movie star. "Aren't we on Earth now?"  
  
Boomer shook his head. "We are currently in space near the Earth, but there is a major battle going on so it is not safe to remain here. The Visitors and the Humans have set up a temporary truce right now due to the attack of another powerful force called the Cylons. I have personally seen the Cylons wipe out worlds before. Because of the danger they represent we evacuating everyone that we can from the defending ships."  
  
Jonas was furious. "If we have a truce with the Visitors, then why are they still carving up people like that?" he gestured toward the tablecloth covered corpses on the food carts in the middle of the room.  
  
"Hear, hear!" agreed Mr. Howell.  
  
Boomer sighed. "Communication is down throughout most of the mothership. The Visitors that," he shuddered slightly but continued, "work in this area never heard that the truce was on again." He looked over at the Visitors who all seemed to be very busy working on restoring Chris Faber's heart and trying hard not to appear to be listening to every word he was saying. "At least is what I am hoping is true. If I find out otherwise…" He left the statement to the imagination of the Food Preparers.  
  
"What about the other people?" asked Mary Ann.  
  
"What other people?" asked the Colonial Warrior.  
  
The short brunette led him over to the panty door and carefully opened the door with one hand while juggling the young puppy she carried with the other. Leading him to the back, she showed him twenty gel sacs containing people and a few large animals.  
  
"They are alive," pointed out the professor. "It seems to be keeping them in some form of hibernation."  
  
Boomer sighed. "Alright, I'll have to get some of the Visitors in here and have them start reviving as many of these people as we can. But as soon as I say we have to go, we are leaving."  
  
"I played a nurse in the movies before so I could help!" exclaimed Ginger.  
  
"I've helped treat all types of animals back on the farm in Kansas!" pointed out Mary Ann.  
  
"My husband has financed the construction of a new hospital before!" Mrs. Howell added in the excitement.  
  
Mr. Howell gently pulled his wife to his side. "I rather doubt they need financing on this project, dear."  
  
Boomer just walked out of the pantry to round up all the available Visitors to get working on reviving everybody in hibernation. Meanwhile, his mind tried to figure out at what point he had lost control of everything.  
  
*****  
  
1.2 SPACE  
  
"Well, what do you think?" Apollo asked.  
  
Starbuck took another look around before answering. "I feel like a tiny bug that's about to be smeared across an oncoming hull plate."  
  
The two colonial Warriors had managed to get back to the hanger without getting lost. They had been dismayed and furious about finding their ships half-taken apart, but then they spotted the Vipers belonging to Boomer and the rest of his pilots and borrowed two of them. Now, outside the mothership, everything seemed to have changed. Thirty motherships, each five miles long, swarmed over the slightly smaller three BaseShips.  
  
As the two Viper pilots watched, intense laser power from one of the BaseShips bit deeply into one of the Visitor motherships, and thus knocking it into another mothership. Electrical fires fanned by escaping oxygen marked the damaged areas of both ships as they slowly limped away to assess their damages and begin repairs.  
  
All three BaseShips managed to avoid being fired upon again by the Particle Beam Triax fired from the Leader's personal mothership. Then all three rushed towards the ship.  
  
"Whoa! Looks like the Cylons figured out that it takes a few minutes to charge that Triax weapon before it can be fired again."  
  
Apollo grunted in agreement with Starbuck. "Colonial and Cylon sensors must be a lot further advanced than the those of the Visitors or else the Visitors would have known better than to try hide something that gives off an energy reading that high."  
  
"Live and learn," Starbuck answered stoically.  
  
"At a moment like this that really is the answer. C'mon, let's get in there and see if we can distract at least one of those BaseShips." Apollo turned his Viper toward where all the much larger ships were gathering. Starbuck followed alongside.  
  
As they flew towards the battle, both pilots noticed a large number of smaller vessels departing from the motherships.  
  
"Looks like they got the same idea we did," commented Starbuck.  
  
"The more the merrier," replied his friend.  
  
"I was afraid you'd say something like that. Look now."  
  
A number of fighters were now leaving the BaseShips and adding to the brawl. The Cylon fighters soon discovered that the Visitor fighters did not have adequate protection against their superior firepower and were quickly putting a dent into the Visitor attack force. None of that did anything to stop two Cylon BaseShips from concentrating their firepower on a nearby mothership and causing it to explode.  
  
Starbuck would have rather played tag in an asteroid field than go into the melee before him, especially since he had finally determined that he should settle down and ask Cassiopeia to become sealed with him.  
  
"Ready?" asked Apollo as they neared the edge of the mad whirlwind of BaseShips, motherships and one-man fighter vessels.  
  
Starbuck swallowed. "As ready as I'll even be, I guess."  
  
*****  
  
1.2.1.1.1.1.1 CRYOGENIC STORAGE AREA  
  
Q and Q2's selected contestants moved smoothly into the room. Their arrival had not gone unnoticed and was welcomed. Jack O'Neill had made sure that they got through as quickly as possible thanks to a radio call from Ham Tyler.  
  
"Glad you could make it," greeted O'Neill as they all took cover behind some benches. "I've been told you are familiar with these cyborg zombies from Hell." He let the statement hang there. He wasn't one for long introductions when things had to get done.  
  
Dr. Crusher nodded. "They're called the Borg. Think of them as a virus that wants to infect all of us. What we have to do is eliminate them before that happens."  
  
"Sounds good to me," agreed O'Neill, "but we can't seem to touch them with our laser weapons. And I don't know how long our jolly green giant can keep them back."  
  
"Giant?" asked the Starfleet doctor.  
  
O'Neill motioned for them to peek over the side of the cabinet to the battle being fought on the other side.  
  
Vash whistled. "Will you get a load of that body!"  
  
Beverly mentally agreed with the adventurous Vash. Though only from a medical viewpoint, she reminded herself.  
  
As they watched, the emerald behemoth known as the Hulk roared in pain as he was shot by a drone with another energy blast. The angry creature leaped at his attacker, swatting away the arm with the tubules, causing the arm to break in three places. The Hulk picked his opponent up over his head, then threw him into the far doorway, crushing two drones that were just entering the room. The Hulk roared in victory as well as warning at the drones to stay away.  
  
Beverly, always a doctor first, had her medical tricorder out and was scanning the Hulk from her position. "Amazing. He's been infected by the Borg nanoprobes but his body seems to be resisting their effect."  
  
"He's been stabbed a few times now. He received his first stab in the chest. Turned the whole area gray. Now you can barely see it. Since then those Borg things have also stabbed him in the shoulder and the leg. If you watch closely you can see it slowly fading away."  
  
Beverly shook her head in disbelief. "But how is he fighting off the nanoprobe infection?"  
  
"I'm not sure exactly. But we do seem to have one guy around here that seems to be familiar with that creature. You might want to ask him if it's really important." O'Neill motioned to some of his men. They came out of their sheltered spots and quickly moved to some of the cryogenic sacs nearest to the fighting area and began taking them down. Everybody avoided making eye contact with the enraged green human, as per instructions. The Hulk looked at the men and women with distrustful eyes but made no aggressive moves toward them except a low rumbling growl.  
  
"The main problem we are having is that all these cryogenic sacs contain people. We're doing our best to clear them out of the area and give the green guy more fighting room whenever there is a break in the fighting. Do you think your people can help with that?"  
  
B'Elanna Torres nodded. "We can lay down a suppressing fire in order to give your people more time to clear the area. Our weapons were designed to be effective against their shields."  
  
O'Neill grimaced. He didn't like the thought of having his people collecting the cryo sacs during the actual battles. "We could try it with a few volunteers but I won't have my people risking their lives frivolously if it proves too dangerous."  
  
"Understood," replied B'Elanna.  
  
Beverly studied the readings gathered by her medical tricorder. "Amazing! Evidently he's human in origin."  
  
"Amazing," agreed Vash as she continued to stare at the muscular green man.  
  
"He seems to be saturated in gamma radiation. Doesn't seem to radiate very much though. It seems mostly concentrated within him. That must be the cause of his mutation."  
  
"I agree," responded a voice behind the Starfleet officer.  
  
Beverly turned to see a handsome lean man with greasy hair and in his late forties crouching near her wearing a Visitor uniform with the pants too big and the top too small. She also noticed that he was barefoot.  
  
"Hi, I'm Jack McGee. I'm a newspaper reporter and I've been trailing the Hulk for years."  
  
"The Hulk?"  
  
He pointed over at the muscular green man. "Can you think of a better name for him?"  
  
"How 'bout 'the Hunk'?" contributed Vash as her eyes lustfully ran up and down the Hulk's body.  
  
Beverly wanted to reprimand her but she knew that the archeologist/thief wouldn't listen to her and that it would only add more fuel to the fire between them. Instead she focused her attention back on Jack McGee who began to fill her in on what he knew of the Hulk and what he suspected about his physiology.  
  
Meanwhile, Kira and B'Elanna made plans about where they should position themselves to get the best shots at the Borg as they entered the room. They moved quickly, avoiding the Hulk, and took cover.  
  
B'Elanna was surprised when Harry moved in alongside of her behind a tipped over cart. "Hey, Harry. Find your own spot."  
  
"This should be big enough for both of us," argued the young man.  
  
"Something bothering you? You normally don't argue with me."  
  
"I'm fine," he said as he drew a bead with his weapon toward the doorway.  
  
B'Elanna studied her friend for a minute. She knew that he wasn't afraid. At least not unreasonably so. Yet he seemed rather preoccupied. And he wouldn't talk about it which usually means that Tom was involved in some way, but he was back in their universe on Deep Space Nine while Harry was here with her so… "Is Tom having you watch out for me?"  
  
Harry sighed in defeat. "Well, you two did just get engaged and this is a rather dangerous mission involving unknown dangers on parallel worlds and the Borg." He looked at her straight in the eyes. "Can you really blame him?"  
  
B'Elanna was about to try when Kira's voice came over her comm-badge. "We have Borg activity."  
  
Kim and Torres immediately were on alert. As they watched, a drone bent over the bodies sprawled in death blocking the doorway. The drone, a Visitor female, carefully took a component out of each of the bodies, then stepped away as the bodies disappeared in a shimmer of energy. With the bodies gone, more drones started coming through the doorway.  
  
The Hulk bristled in hatred of the vile creatures. He roared his challenge at the drones and stood his ground waiting to see if they would come at him.  
  
Kira, Torres and Kim all leveled their weapons and prepared to fire. They were interrupted by a call from Dr. Crusher. "Crusher to Everybody. Let the Borg go to the Hulk. Just shoot the drones that don't go to him."  
  
"Why?" asked Harry.  
  
"He needs to keep fighting," answered Crusher. "His anger and his fighting keeps his gamma-irradiated metabolism going. The gamma radiation is interfering with the nanites that are already in his system and his incredible healing factors are cleaning up the damage they have already caused. As long as he doesn't get injected with more nanites, he'll be completely healed in five to ten minutes."  
  
"How are we supposed to insure he doesn't get stabbed again if he's going to be fighting most of them?" B'Elanna demanded.  
  
"Very careful shooting," came the reply. "Meanwhile, Kai Wynn and I are going to be back here helping to open more of these cryogenic sacs. Good luck."  
  
"We're going to need it," muttered B'Elanna. Even as she watched, the Hulk threw one of the drones against the fall wall where it hit with a sickening thud. Other drones continued on toward him unfazed and with tubules extended.  
  
*****  
  
1.3 SPACE  
  
Apollo caused his viper to flip and madly flew closely along the side of the Cylon BaseShip at a breakneck speed as he tried to lose the two Clyon vessels pursuing him.  
  
"Starbuck, are you open to give me a hand?"  
  
"Are you kidding?" came the reply. "It would take me a centar just to find you in this mess! And that's if I was lucky!" He paused for a moment. "Are you going to be alright?"  
  
"I'll manage," he replied as accomplished another barrel roll with his viper. Whatever he tried he just couldn't seem to lose his two tails.  
  
Suddenly shots fired from one of the Visitor tankers hit the Cylon vessels. Though the laser weaponry wasn't enough to destroy the vessels outright, it was able to knock the two speeding vessels slightly off course and make it hit the hull of the BaseShip they were skimming along.  
  
"Thanks whoever you are!" called out Apollo.  
  
"Hey Apollo!" came a call over his comm system.  
  
"I'm alright, Starbuck."  
  
"I knew you would be. But that's not what I wanted you for."  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I just noticed a number of Cylon transport vessels heading toward that Visitor ship we were on."  
  
Apollo paused in thought for a moment as he fired on another Cylon fighter. "Why would they do that? That mothership isn't even participating in all the fighting."  
  
"I don't know, but--whoa!"  
  
"Starbuck! Starbuck! Are you all right!"  
  
"Yeah. Just received some 'friendly fire'. Suddenly I'm rather glad the Visitors weapons aren't as powerful as the Cylons."  
  
A tremendous explosion occurred nearby sending a number of the smaller vessels crashing into each other or into one of the motherships.  
  
"There goes another BaseShip."  
  
"Yeah, that Particle Beam Triax of the Visitors is really cutting them down."  
  
"Too bad they only have one."  
  
Another massive explosion caused wreckage from other vessels to ricochet off the viper Apollo was using. "Boomer's going to want an explanation as to what I've been doing to his viper."  
  
"That had to be another mothership going up. How many have they lost now? Five? Six?"  
  
"Worse. I think we just lost our edge," explained Apollo.  
  
"The Triax?"  
  
"And the mothership it was on." Apollo took his frustrations out by firing on any and all Cylon vessels that crossed his path. Suddenly, he noticed a large number of the smaller vessels from both sides veering away. "What the…"  
  
He looked over to the side and then quickly hurried away. "Starbuck! You aren't going to believe this!"  
  
"The Battlestar Pegasus!" howled Starbuck over the comm system.  
  
The colonial Battlestar moved up swiftly and opened fire at every weak point it could spot on its targeted BaseShip. Three missiles of solenite managed to get through the Cylon defenses and found their mark. As the Pegasus swerved away, half of the BaseShip erupted in explosions.  
  
"The tides are definitely turning!" shouted Starbuck.  
  
"About time," agreed Apollo. Just then a Cylon fighter passed in front of him before he could get a shot off. Apollo readied himself so that the next ship would not.  
  
"So what do we do about the Cylons?" asked Starbuck.  
  
"I think the Pegasus is already taking care of it so we don't have to worry anymore. After all it's one BaseShip against a Battlestar and over twenty motherships."  
  
"Not them. The ones that were heading toward the mothership that we were on before."  
  
Apollo slapped his head to his helmet. So much had been happening that he just couldn't keep track of it all. Maybe this was a younger man's game. Maybe someone like--  
  
"Hey dad!" Apollo looked at his comm system in disbelief. "Did you leave anything for the rest of us?"  
  
"Boxey?" Apollo was shocked at hearing his son's voice. "Where'd you come from?"  
  
"Hitched a ride with the Pegasus. The Galactica will be here shortly and then we'll really clean up on the Cylons!"  
  
The young man's enthusiasm reminded Apollo of what he and Starbuck must have been like as new recruits. "You can't imagine how good that is to hear. Meanwhile, I've got to contact a mothership about a pest problem."  
  
*****  
  
Author's note: You know, it wasn't until I became a fanfiction writer that I learned just how much reviews from the fans encourages the author. For those of you who have given me reviews, thanks. For those that haven't, please drop a line and let me know what you really think of story. Inquiring minds want to know. Besides it inspires me to write more.  
  
Thanks. 


	8. Chapter 8

1.1.1.1.1.1.1 STERN SIDE SHUTTLE BAY ON THE MOTHERSHIP  
  
The Doctor walked, deep in thought, down the end to the wall with his scarf wrapped twice around his neck and his hands in his pockets. Things were not working out at all on this mission. He hadn't even been able to meet up with his Starfleet allies. After their narrow escape from the Borg by fleeing into the ventilation system, they had managed to come out into the hall near the shuttle bay where they had first arrived on this mothership.  
  
Just as he was about to enter the shuttle bay, he noticed Borg activity across the room. Centered all around his TARDIS. "Oh, now they have gone too far!"  
  
Leela and the others hurried forward to see what was wrong now. "How do we get them away from the Tardis, Doctor?" asked Leela.  
  
Her answer didn't come from the Doctor, but from the arrival of six vessels that did not match those already parked there. That seemed to interest many of the drones as sixteen of them turned from whatever duties they were working on and headed straight towards the new arrival. That left eight still analyzing the structure of the TARDIS.  
  
The Doctor motioned for Kyle to come forward. "Anyone you know?" he asked, pointing to the six vessels that were just beginning to open.  
  
The dark haired young shook his head. "Never saw that model before. Think it's friendly?"  
  
"We will just have to see."  
  
A series of laser fire lashed out form the interior of the newly arrived vehicles which killed five drones instantly. The killers slowly walked out in single file. Each was humanoid in appearance and entirely encased in a type of body armor. But it was the exactness of their movements and the red light that flashed back and forth where their eyes should be that let the Doctor and the others know that these were robots. As they exited the started to form roles with those in the front continuing to fire on the drones. That is until the drones suddenly stopped falling to the lasers fired at them.  
  
The remaining Borg drones began returning fire on Cylons. One of them spoke. "We are the Borg. We will add your technological uniqueness to our collective. Resistance is futile."  
  
"Hmm," thought the Doctor out loud, "I think they are right on that last part. Resistance doesn't seem to be going them any good at all." He felt a tapping on his shoulder. Turning he saw that Elizabeth was trying to get his attention. "Yes?"  
  
"That console over there. It's blinking."  
  
"Yes? What of it?"  
  
"Well," she went on to explain, "it's a communication console."  
  
The Doctor looked over at the console. It was only a little ways into the shuttle bay and nowhere near where all the fighting was going on, but whoever went out to check on the console would definitely be making a target of themselves. "Last time we were here K-9 said that most of the communication lines throughout the ship were not functioning."  
  
"But," Elizabeth persisted, "the blinking red light means that someone is trying to get an answer from here. Or maybe it's a general hail to whoever they can still communicate with."  
  
"Oh very well." The time-lord brushed off his hat and then pulled it down hard onto his head. "Everybody wait here. I'll see who's calling."  
  
Keeping low, the Doctor hurried over to the console while keeping an eye on the battle going on just a short distance from him. Sensing a presence behind him, he turned to find his companion, Leela. "Leela, what are you doing?"  
  
"Guarding your back."  
  
He was about to protest that she had been wounded recently but realized that her pride would not stand for her backing down. Besides he could see Paul and Scott carefully watching the battle to make sure that it didn't come to close. He knew that the two of them would use their powers to protect Leela and the Doctor to the best of their ability while they were in such an exposed position. "Very well, Leela, but from now on listen to what I say."  
  
"Of course, Doctor."  
  
The Doctor just sighed and pushed the blinking light. "Hello? Hello? Anyone there?"  
  
For a moment he thought no one was there. "Hello!" came the reply. "Where are you? And what is the situation where you are?"  
  
"I'm in one of your shuttle bays. And the situation here is--" He took a moment to look around him. The Borg were easily winning. Some had stopped firing and were dismantling their fallen foes. Other drones were still advancing on the remaining Cylons. Those Cylons still functioning were trying to work out a means of defeating an enemy that they couldn't shoot but that could shoot them. "--the situation is getting very dangerous!"  
  
An explosion caused by a Cylon tossing a small solenite bomb had decimated a small group of drones.  
  
"And loud!" concluded the Doctor.  
  
"Who are you? Are you a Visitor or a Human?" asked the voice on the comm system.  
  
"Yes, I am, but you can call me the Doctor. And I'm neither Human nor Visitor. I'm here to help with your Borg problem."  
  
There was a momentary pause, then a new voice. "My name's Tyler. Heard from some of my friends about some of your friends. The ones from Starquest."  
  
"It's Starfleet," corrected the Doctor.  
  
"Just checking," admitted Tyler.  
  
"Mr. Tyler? Ham?"  
  
The Doctor looked up to see that Elizabeth and Kyle had also come over to the console. "Leela, see what happens when you set such a bad example?"  
  
The huntswoman looked confused. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"  
  
Before the Doctor could explain he realized that Elizabeth was already talking to the man named Tyler.  
  
"--so the Leader had control of my mind the entire time. And when I was brought to his shuttlecraft, I--"  
  
"Pardon me," interrupted the Doctor. "But I believe we have more important things to discuss with your friend."  
  
Normally Kyle would have come to his girlfriend's defense but the Doctor was right. He laid a hand on her shoulder so as to hint that they should go back to shelter.  
  
"Just one thing then," Elizabeth said. "Ham, not only did Kyle and I not blow up in that shuttle explosion, but the Leader is alive here on the mothership as well."  
  
"All ready know that, hon," answered the voice through the speaker. "Kind of got a truce going on with him right now as we deal with other matters. And don't worry. I don't trust him any more than I'd trust Diana."  
  
"We saw Diana, too," commented the starchild. "But she got away."  
  
"All right, little lady. One question for you. Do you trust this Doctor fellow?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Tyler. And you can trust him, too. He saved our lives and has managed to keep us alive through some horrible situations. I think you'd like him."  
  
"I don't know about that. He sounds British."  
  
Kyle snickered. Elizabeth blushed. And the Doctor almost exploded. "I'm Gallifreain, not British, though Britain is a very lovely and relatively civilized country!"  
  
Kyle and Elizabeth quickly said their goodbyes and left the Doctor and Leela to manage the console and deal with Ham Tyler.  
  
"Those kids gave you a pretty good recommendation. I trust them so therefore I am going to trust you…for now."  
  
The time-lord wasn't sure at all what to think of this strange character he was talking to. He was definitely smart, dangerous and most definitely paranoid and rude. Yet somehow he had also earned the love and respect of Elizabeth. The Doctor really wanted to meet this fellow sometime in the future and learn more about him. "Yes, that's very good. Shall we get on with it then?"  
  
"Yes. Can you give me the rundown on these Borg characters. Like what we can expect and what weaknesses of theirs we might be able to exploit."  
  
The Doctor looked around at the battle around him. So far the Borgs and Cylons were concentrating on each other and were over two hundred yards from him so he decided to give Tyler the quick version about the Borg and their quest to incorporate whatever intelligent lifeforms and advanced technologies they come across into their collective. When he was finished, there was silence from the other end. The Doctor almost thought the line had gone dead.  
  
"They can really do all that?" Tyler asked in amazement.  
  
"They have been working on that objective since they got on board here," the Doctor pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, I've heard of a few encounters."  
  
"There is one other thing you should know."  
  
"What's that?" asked Tyler.  
  
"There are some Borg here now fighting some kind of robot soldiers. Know anything about that?"  
  
"Yeah. Just got word of it a minute before talking to you. Consider them as unhealthy for you as the Borgs are. Now answer me this: Do you have a means of getting off this mothership?"  
  
The Doctor looked at his TARDIS, which was still being examined by eight drones. Elizabeth, Paul and Scott should have no trouble removing those obstacles. "Yes."  
  
"Good. You have fifteen minutes to get clear of the mothership. If you aren't off by then, I'm not responsible."  
  
"What do you mean? Hello? Hello?" He looked back at the console and saw that the red light was out.  
  
"Doctor?" asked Leela. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"I'm not sure. But I have a really strong feeling that we had better be inside the TARDIS fifteen minutes from now."  
  
*****  
  
1.1.1.1.1.1.2 CRYOGENIC STORAGE AREA  
  
Jack O'Neill hurried back to his people. He had just gotten off the radio with Tyler and he was getting to like the man less and less. "We got problems, people."  
  
"We know," answered Samantha Carter, who was finally awake again. "The Borg have found an entrance at the far end of this cryo locker. Reports tell us that they are already assimilating those cryogenically stored and are advancing on our position here."  
  
She looked away from the fighting to see how he was taking the news. "I've already sent a team of twenty to slow them down."  
  
O'Neill looked down to the far end of the room. He couldn't see it. The Cryogenic Storage Area was more massive than any football stadium, plus it was packed with hibernating people stored in gel-filled sacks blocking his view. "Call them back immediately."  
  
"But--" Samantha began to protest.  
  
"We have to evacuate everyone we can off this ship in the next fourteen minutes," he explained.  
  
She was about to protest the absurdity of that but she could tell from his face that he wasn't happy with the idea either. "Can you tell me why?'  
  
"No clue. But I know better than to doubt a time limit given by Tyler."  
  
"What!"  
  
O'Neill saw one of the new people, a redheaded doctor, come up to him.  
  
"We can't evacuate this place in place in fifteen minutes! There are tens of thousands of people stored in here! We'd be lucky if we could do it in fifteen days!" yelled Dr. Crusher. "We supposed to be here saving these people!"  
  
Jack looked at her with hard eyes that had seen way to much death already in his life. "If we don't get those we have already revived out of here in the next fifteen minutes we will not have saved anyone. All we can do now is take the remnant we were able to revive and go. Do you understand?"  
  
Beverly stood her ground for a second, but she realized that time was precious at the moment. "Yes, but I don't have to like it."  
  
Word spread among the Humans quickly. A quick series of shots by B'Elanna and Harry had the last of the drones in their section discontinued. The Hulk blocked the entrance the Borg had been using yet again by throwing desks and computer consoles at it. Dr. Crusher was having every available cart used for transporting people still in cryogenic sacs while those that had recently been freed from the sacs but not yet revived were being carried by other people.  
  
"Okay, Dr. Banner. You have to come with us now." Samantha Carter walked out slowly to the green monolith of a man. Silently, she prayed the only prayer she could think of. Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul will keep…  
  
The Hulk growled softly but made no other overtures of attack. There was something in Samantha's eyes that he found soothing. Most people's eyes were filled with fear or hate when they saw him but her eyes… The Hulk began to relax.  
  
Even though everyone was hurrying because they knew it was most likely a life or death timetable that they were up against, almost everybody stopped to stare at the metamorphosis happening before them.  
  
Beverly was one of the first out of her amazed-like stupor. She immediately had her medical tricorder out to record the event. Waiting till it was complete, she hurried up to the slightly dazed man before her. "Just a moment, I'm scanning to see in you still have any remaining nanites inside your body."  
  
Dr. Banner looked around at all the destruction in horror. Borg bodies littered the area here and there leaking white body fluids. "Did I -- did I do all this?"  
  
"Yes," answered Samantha. "And you most likely saved us all."  
  
Dr. Banner looked at her in stunned disbelief.  
  
"It's true, Banner."  
  
The man who could turn into the Hulk looked over to see Jack McGee, the tabloid reporter that had chased him for years while trying to discern the identity of the Hulk, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh no! Not you!"  
  
"Peace, Banner. Don't get riled up over me," McGee said. "We still got a situation here. Go with the young blonde. She'll fill you in on the detail."  
  
Reluctantly, Dr. David Bruce Banner nodded.  
  
"I can't believe this," commented Beverly as she examined her tricorder. "According to this, you are perfectly normal. Except for a mild dose of radiation, I couldn't find anything wrong with you. Maybe if I do a more thorough exam."  
  
Banner was about to comment, but Samantha beat him to it. "We don't have time for that, doctor. Those drones will be back in here soon and we still have a lot of people to clear."  
  
Beverly nodded in agreement and hurried off.  
  
"Excuse me," called a female voice behind them. "But if you two are about to leave, would you mind carrying our friend out with you?"  
  
Dr. Banner found himself looking at an attractive young woman with a crab- like ridge on her forehead and a young Asian man. Each wore a yellow and black spandex uniform. They were also carrying a dark haired woman with a strange ridge on the bridge of her nose and wearing a most unusual earring on her right ear. "I…what?"  
  
The two introduced themselves and their unconscious companion. The young man seemed somewhat leery of Dr. Banner but that was quite understandable considering all the vicious fighting the young man had watched Banner's alter ego do just a few minutes prior. The woman, however, was very determined. "We have to stay to hold back the Borg when they break through again. But Major Kira was stunned by one of the Borg so if you could take her, we'd really appreciate it."  
  
"Um, sure," he said as he took one of Major Kira's arms and Samantha took another.  
  
"I'll help," commented Vash as hurried over. She had a strange look in her eye and B'Elanna saw right away that it was Dr. Banner that she interested in.  
  
"Good," said the half-Klingon. "You can help us slow down the Borg. Go over there where Major Kira's position was."  
  
Vash was about to protest but she thought it would make her look bad in Dr. Banner's eyes so she didn't. So with a sigh she set out for Major Kira's old position.  
  
"An unusual woman," commented Dr. Banner. "Quite a handful I bet."  
  
"You have no idea," snorted B'Elanna. Sensing movement behind the last barricade she quickly sent them off and then returned back to her cover with Harry. It would all be over soon, she thought. One way or the other.  
  
*****  
  
1.2 THE BRIDGE OF THE MOTHERSHIP  
  
Ham put down the walkie-talkie. He felt much better knowing that Boomer had gotten his longtime friend, Chris Faber, to safety on a shuttle. He had been worried when Boomer had said they had gotten chased by some drones. He still wasn't sure of what to think of Boomer's recommendation of giving a medal to a man named Gilligan. Apparently when they had been chased into the zoological area, which held a number of specimens from Sirius IV, Gilligan had somehow smashed open the glass wall that encased the sand crivit. The area immediately filled with the loose sand and impeded everyone's progress. The sand crivit, not liking the strangeness it sensed in the drones, attacked immediately, allowing Boomer and his entourage to escape unharmed and unhindered.  
  
He checked the shuttle off with Hugo who nodded in acknowledgment. They were being extremely careful. Every shuttle that left the mothership had to confirm their takeoff with the bridge or Ham threatened to blow that ship and whoever was on it to kingdom come. Though many complained at the extremes Tyler was taking, everyone had to admit that it was the only way to ensure that the Borg didn't get off the mothership.  
  
The Leader and Lydia had gotten to a shuttle unhindered. Their only complaint was the strict watchfulness of Mike and Julie. Ham didn't care if the Leader was supposed to be his ally at the moment or not, he was not about to give up the advantage he had over them.  
  
Ham looked out at the vast expanse of space. The stars twinkling on and off as ships flew back and forth fighting each other. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"  
  
Hugo looked up from his monitor for a second. "Sir?"  
  
"Space." His hand went out dramatically to the wide screen in front of him. "It's beautiful. At least the parts that us intelligent species haven't mucked up."  
  
"Uh, yes sir."  
  
He turned to regard Hugo for a moment. "Say, what is this mothership called anyway? We've always called the L.A. mothership because it was the one that hovered over Los Angeles but what do you call it?"  
  
"Uh, we call it--" Hugo made a hissing, coughing sound.  
  
Ham's eyebrows raised "Can you give me a rough translation?"  
  
Hugo looked a little uncomfortable. "It means 'The Conquering Destroyer'. I think the Leader named it."  
  
"Figures." He looked at the viewscreen again. "Are you ready?"  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
"Good. Tell Arthur to resume command until we come over."  
  
Ham, Hugo and five other people all got up and exited to the emergency escape shuttle underneath the bridge. Once they entered Ham took the seat right behind Arthur, who was piloting the mothership, and next to General Hammond, who was looking rather nervous.  
  
"Everything alright?"  
  
"So far, so good," answered Arthur.  
  
"Good. It's out of my hands now anyway." Ham leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. "Let me know if something unexpected happens. Otherwise, don't wake me until we land."  
  
"You're going to sleep!" Hammond asked in disbelief. "We could die at any moment and you want to sleep!"  
  
Ham opened one eye yet looked straight ahead. "To be or not to be: that is the question. Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them. To die; to sleep no more; and by a sleep to say we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to. It is a consummation devoutly to be wished. To die; to sleep. To sleep? Perchance to dream! Aye, there's the rub; for in that sleep of death what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause. There's the respect that makes calamity of so long life." Ham took a moment to reflect, then shot a glance at the general with his one open eye.  
  
"Oh, go to sleep, Hamlet!"  
  
Ham obligingly closed his eye.  
  
*****  
  
1.3 SPACE  
  
Boxey pivoted his Viper into a hard curve in order to shoot the Cylon vessel in front of him. "Yeah!" He was determined to beat Starbuck best score of Cylon ships in a battle. And with this many Cylon ships around he actually had a chance to do just that. "That's another one for me!"  
  
The last remaining Cylon BaseShip was putting up a furious battle. The only reason it was still remaining was that it had gotten a lucky shot at the Battlestar Pegasus, which had practically crippled it. The BaseShip ignored the less powerful motherships as it sought to destroy the Pegasus as it was still considered the greatest threat. The Pegasus, while having many of its weapons down, still had propulsion and was leading the BaseShip around in circles as it ducked around some of the motherships. Many of the small fighters, who had gotten caught up in their own smaller skirmishes and not paid attention, had crashed into one of the much larger vessels. This same fate almost took Boxey.  
  
"Come on," he said to himself as he began setting himself up for another target. "Where is the Galactica already. It should be here by -- Whoa!"  
  
Boxey power-dived down as he just missed getting rammed by a five-mile long mothership.  
  
"Man! They were in a hurry." Boxey watched the mothership head into the battle zone as he tried to calm down his heart rate. Then two things struck him as odd. One was that there was no sign of any damage to the hull surface while all the other motherships had damage all over. The second was that the mothership was going way faster than the other vessels dared to with all the other ships flying around. It was when Boxey saw that it wasn't slowing down that he realized what was about to happen.  
  
Just before the collision, a small escape vessel from the underside of the doomed mothership detached itself. Then the mothership and the BaseShip were no more.  
  
Boxey sat there stunned for a moment as he watched the fireball from the explosion slowly fade away. He had not been prepared for something like that. It was just too horrible.  
  
Another Cylon fighter went by and Boxey sighed. All that was left now was to clear away the remaining Cylon fighters. Then he could get some real rest. And maybe even find out what this was all about.  
  
*****  
  
coming soon: the epilog 


	9. Epilogue

1.1 TRANSPORT VESSEL  
  
The people on board the vessel didn't know whether to cheer or cry. The Cylon and Borg threats were gone. But at what a price. Thousands of Visitors had still been aboard when the mothership had exploded. Some of them had not yet become drones and could have been saved. And tens of thousands of Humans had died in their cryogenic sleep. But the threat of both the Cylons and the Borg had merited the terrible deed.  
  
Mike and Julie held each other close to comfort each other. All over the transport vessel many others could be seen doing the same thing.  
  
"Oh Mike! All this fighting--it's so horrible! Will it ever stop?"  
  
Mike took his eyes off the screen showing the vast wreckage of ships. He looked coldly at the Leader, who was just sitting and observing those around him. "We will fight only if we have to and only as long as we are still in the right!"  
  
The Leader regarded Mike with amusement. "How melodramatic! How self- righteous! How droll!"  
  
Mike gently pushed Julie away. "I wouldn't be so smug if I were you. Your people are on to you now. They know that you have been manipulating them. And they will want to take it out on your hide for what you've done to them, to Earth and to Sirius IV."  
  
The Leader leaned over to Lydia on the pretense of whispering to her though he made no effort to keep his words from being heard. "Is he always so amusing?" He didn't wait for her to answer. Regarding Mike, the Leader's forked tongue briefly tasted the air. "Do you really think that I had to manipulate 'all' of my people?"  
  
"We will deal with those we helped you of their own free will later."  
  
The Leader just continued his train of thought, as if Mike hadn't said anything. "Some were quite willing to help me strengthen my people, though not all of them were the best leaders, like Diana and Lydia." His eye caught Philip who was silently seething in the corner. "Therefore I converted men like Philip and his brother Martin to help fill my ranks. True, an extended leave away from me would let them slowly revert to their normal personalities, but that was no real problem since all of those I have converted always proved to be very susceptible to my control when I came in close contact again."  
  
The Leader's words raced through Mike's head. If what the Leader was saying was true, then all the Visitors there in the shuttle with him had either sided with the Leader of their own free will originally or could be taken over by the Leader's powers at any moment.  
  
"Mike!" Willie was crouching on his seat trying to hold his head. "He's trying to get into my head!" Thelma, his fiancée, was already staring ahead with a glassy look on her face.  
  
Mike went to pull out his laser pistol, only to be tackled from behind by Philip. After hitting the floor, he turned and elbowed his friend in the jaw. Philip remained unfazed and reached down with both hands and began to chock the life out of Mike.  
  
All around the room, the loyal Visitors that had been taken prisoner and Fifth Column members turned on the Humans. Sam Beckett was doing his best to use his martial arts to defend himself while his friend Al tried to offer advice and provide distraction. Daniel Jackson had his hands full, as he wrestled with the much larger Lt. James, who was proving to be more than a challenge even though he was shackled. Lydia had likewise attacked Julie and the two began a rather vicious catfight that the Leader found amusing and thus kept anyone else from interfering.  
  
The Leader was enjoying himself. His head was throbbing fiercely but the moment was worth it. He had to hold his control over Philip and the others for just a few more minutes and they would belong to him again  
  
He spotted George Fox, one of the Humans that had held him captive briefly, rolling on the floor as he fought with two Visitors. "Well, it's my persistent follower."  
  
George managed to hit one of his foes in the throat just as he was going to spit venom in his face. As that foe pulled away, however, the other was able to secure a hold on him from behind. Unable to get away, he looked up at the Leader and spat.  
  
A smile spread across the Leader's reptilian face. "I have plans for you, annoying one. It will be a long time before you die. And I will show you more pain than you will think you can bear. But you will. Repeatedly."  
  
"Oh yeah. Allow me to show you one first." With that, George kicked out hard with his foot, catching the Leader between the legs. The Leader's eyes just about popped out of his head as he fell to his knees. George followed up with another kick; this time to the stomach.  
  
The majority of the Visitors in the room stopped what they were doing and sagged for a moment as if puppets had just had their strings cut and were realizing they could move on their own.  
  
Sam, seeing that the Leader was the root of their problems, pushed his now docile and confused fighting partners away and started to run over to help. When he saw the slight glow in the Leader eyes, he leapt at him to catch him in a flying tackle.  
  
*****  
  
1.2 TRANSPORT VESSEL  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No!" relied Boomer.  
  
"Pretty please?"  
  
Boomer gave him a strange look. He had no idea what 'pretty' had to do with 'please' so he just chalked it up to another Earth cultural reference. "I said no."  
  
"C'mon. Skipper let me steer the Minnow. I can do this, too."  
  
"I don't know what a Minnow is but this is a space vessel and there is no way I am letting you near the controls, Gilligan. The others warned me about you."  
  
Gilligan stuck out his lip as he pouted. "Okay, Boomer."  
  
He left the cockpit area, where Boomer continued to direct the Visitor pilots. Off in one corner of the transport were the Visitor food preparers who were still under guard by some of Boomer's Warriors, mostly for their own protection than anything else now that a lot of their former menu had been freed. The only one that was even willing to talk to them was the Professor and that was mostly because he was trying to learn about the ingredients and all the effects of the cryogenic gel.  
  
Ginger was in her element in the other corner as she played the Hollywood starlet to the hilt for the twenty people that they had rescued out of the cryo sacs. Skipper was happily watching along with the rest even though he had seen all her routines many times already.  
  
"Why so glum, Gilligan. We've been rescued! You should be happy."  
  
"Oh hi, Mr. Howell. It's nothing really. Boomer won't let me steer the spaceship, is all."  
  
Mr. Howell shuddered at the thought. "It took us about twenty years to get off that cursed island, boy. Do you want to get us stranded on another planet for another twenty? We don't even have luggage with us this time."  
  
"Thurston, remember your blood pressure."  
  
"Yes dear," said the old millionaire as he gently patted his wife's hand. "At least this time if we get stranded anywhere, we'll have lots of animals with us. This place is beginning to remind me of Noah's Ark. Especially the smell," he complained as he pushed a young lamb away.  
  
Mary Ann had pleaded that they bring as many animals with them as they could when they received Tyler's evacuation notice. It wasn't long before she had everyone complying with her request. Even those who had just been revived from cryo-sleep and had little or no idea what was going on couldn't say no to her with her beating her dark eyelashes at them. Thus the transport had a wide variety of animals running loose, though the more potentially dangerous ones like the ostrich and warthog were tethered.  
  
A large, fat orange cat with black stripes began rubbing against Mrs. Howell's leg and stopped over now and then to look up at her with sad, hungry eyes.  
  
"I think he likes you, Mrs. Howell."  
  
"Oh! Take him away! Take him away! I'm allergic to cats!" She buried her head in her husband's jacket. A dove flew over and landed on his other shoulder, which immediately caught the cat's attention. The orange cat practically ran up Mr. Howell's leg in it's efforts to get the dove but was grabbed by Gilligan instead.  
  
Gilligan held the cat to his chest and softly petted its fur. "Easy, boy. I got you."  
  
"That dreadful, dreadful mangy creature! Just look what it did to Thurston's trousers!"  
  
Gilligan looked down and could see tears that the overweight had made when trying to climb with his claws. "Well, at least they're old pants."  
  
"Of course they're old! I've had them for over twenty years!"  
  
"I bet on of the first things you do when we get back to Earth is buy a whole new wardrobe, right?"  
  
Mrs. Howell's eyes lit up. "Oh Thurston! We'll be able to spend money again! Won't that be wonderful?"  
  
"Not as wonderful as working out deals to make even more money again," he laughed at the thought as she tried to tidy up his appearance from the damage that the cat had done.  
  
"Oh dear, you have something on your shoulder."  
  
Mr. Howell went to brush it off but stopped when he saw what it was. He reached for his handkerchief with a scowl. The dove had left the millionaire a deposit.  
  
Gilligan walked away from the Howells to sort out his own thoughts. A lot had changed in twenty years and he no clue what he would do now that he was off the island. Seeing Mary Ann sitting with her new basset hound pup over by the laboratory, he headed over. "Hi Mary Ann."  
  
"Hi Gilligan. Found a new friend?"  
  
Gilligan sat down and scratched the orange cat behind its ear causing it to purr loudly. "I guess so. But I have no idea what to call him."  
  
"Did you check his collar?"  
  
"Collar?" Sure enough, there was a collar around the fat cat's neck. Gilligan gently eased the tag around to get a good look at it. "Hey, it says his name is Garfield. He's owned by a Jon Arbuckle."  
  
"Arbuckle?" said Mary Ann as she pondered over the name. "I've heard that name somewhere before--but where…?"  
  
A short-haired yellow mutt with it's tongue hanging way out hurried over to her. It put it's front paws on her knees and gave the young basset hound in her lap a lick to the side of the head.  
  
"Careful, Odie. The puppy is still young and you have to be gentle." She looked at the dog in front of her again. "Arbuckle. That's was on Odie's collar, too."  
  
Gilligan looked from the cat he was holding to the dog on the ground. "You mean they have the same owner?"  
  
"That's right," she said. "I looked at Odie's collar earlier."  
  
"Oh, so these two guys must be friends." Gilligan bent down to put the cat down by the dog. The fighting was instantaneous as the dog and cat immediately attacked each other. Gilligan was on the receiving end as well because he was still holding the cat. Mary Ann shouted something to him but he was too busy to listen. With a mighty heave, he pulled the cat away from the dog and over his head. But lost his balance as he began to spin around and was stopped when the laboratory door open, hitting him in the face.  
  
Having been hit in the head, Gilligan didn't see Diana coming out of the laboratory carrying a laser pistol until it was too late. But for that matter, Diana didn't see the fat cat that landed in her face until it was too late, either.  
  
Diana struggled wildly with the sharp clawed orange beast that was trying to claw her eyes out while another beast bit at her feet. The commotion continued until Boomer hurried up from the cockpit and disarmed the most infamous Visitor ever to walk on Earth. Gilligan was able to pull Garfield off a little later with some effort.  
  
Several of the scratches on Diana's face had peeled off sections of her fake human skin, revealing the reptilian skin beneath. She looked up with disdain at her captors. "You may have me now, but I--"  
  
"Lady, shut up or I'll have Gilligan put the cat back on your face." Once Boomer had it explained to him exactly who Diana was, all he wanted to do was to hand her over to the proper authorities and make sure she gets what she deserves.  
  
Turning to regard Gilligan, Boomer wasn't sure what to say. "It looks like you're a hero again."  
  
"Does that mean that you'll let me fly the spaceship?" asked the excited skinny man.  
  
"Nooo!" came the yells of the other castaways who knew Gilligan all to well.  
  
Boomer smiled. "Maybe some other time."  
  
*****  
  
1.3 THREE HOURS LATER ON THE NEW YORK MOTHERSHIP  
  
The somber visage of the purple-dressed Leader stepped before the camera, sending his image to all the surviving motherships. "Prete-na-ma .Greetings one and all. I will be speaking in one of the Earth languages because I want the Humans to hear what I have to say as well. Today we have fought off a formidable enemy with the help of the Earthlings' long lost relatives. In that we can rejoice." He paused for a moment for effect as well as to prepare himself for what he was about to say next.  
  
"However, our very reason for even being on Earth was not honorable and for that I am mostly to blame." The large lizard man leaned on the podium in front of him. His scales no longer held the luster that they had when he was in his prime. "I have the Mark of Zon on my arm," he said while lifting up his arm to show the well-known mark. "Yet I have not lived in the ways of Zon for a long time. This is my own fault for it was my choice to give up the ways of brotherly love. As a young man, my abilities as a bearer of the Mark of Zon let me see into the hearts of others. I became fascinated with those whose hearts were dark, and thus began darkening my own heart. I began visiting places that seemed to have an ambiance of darkness, of evil, and it filled my heart to the point that I no longer recognized myself. It wasn't long after this that I began using my mind-powers to influence or control others for my own purposes. Those of the House of Zon stood against me so I wiped them out to the best of my abilities. I loved the thrill of conquest for I felt nothing could overcome me. I took over our planet and turned it into a manufacturing station, building motherships and weapons so that I could attempt to conquer the stars. I gave no thought to what environmental damage was being done to Sirius IV because I didn't care. I had already conquered it."  
  
"This planet called Earth was to be our new home as it had more food and water than we had found on all the other planets we had found combined. We came here by deception. We opened our arms in brotherhood to those on Earth and repaid their welcome with treachery most foul. Most of the blame for this can be placed on me, although I think you should all know that I did not influence everybody to my will. Some obeyed my commands because of the darkness already in their own hearts, some because they were afraid to stand up for what was right, some because they knew Sirius IV could not feed its people anymore, some because they just wanted power. Only those that I influenced truly escape blame. The rest will have to wait have to wait for the judgement of Elizabeth."  
  
"The starchild Elizabeth, also a Bearer of the Mark of Zon, shall be your new leader. As she is yet young I have placed her in the guardianship of Philip, whose integrity has surpassed even my influence. Perhaps between the two of them, they shall work out a peace agreement between the Visitors and the Humans. Hopefully, an alliance can be formed as we may each need the other's help when the Cylon invaders return."  
  
"One bit of good news I can give you is that Diana has been captured. Her actions have always been her own so all her evil deeds are on her own head. I request that she be handed over to the Earth authorities with whom she has already been tried and sentenced to be executed."  
  
"As for myself, I will be doing more than stepping down as your leader. Elizabeth has been able to shed some light into my being but the darkness that I have been living in returns even now." Calmly the leader stepped to the side of the podium with the cameras following him. "Because I will most likely be returning to my less benevolent nature I will be removing myself for the time being." He placed his left hand on an unoccupied cryogenic sac. "I shall place myself in hibernation while I try to deal with my internal struggles. This way I should not be able to manipulate anyone the way I have been. But do not worry about me, my people. Elizabeth has promised to check on me annually to monitor my progress."  
  
He shrugged off the purple robes leaving himself dressed in something similar to boxers. He lifted up a foot and slowly eased it into the gel- filled sac. Philip hurried over to help the Leader balance himself as he entered the cryogenic sac. Sitting with the gel up to his chest, the Leader regarded the cameras once more. "My people, I do this for you as well as for myself. Pray for my success even as I pray for you in your endeavors. Prete-na-ma, my people. My blessing upon you all."  
  
Having said his part, he leaned back into the fluid and the sac closed. Philip bowed his head and signaled for the cameras to be turned off.  
  
A number of people hurried over to the sac and quickly reopened it and pulled the Leader into a sitting position.  
  
Philip slapped the face gently a few times. "C'mon, wake up! We don't have much time!"  
  
The scaly face shook itself as he tried to shake off the hibernating effects of the gel. "Oh boy. That was something."  
  
"Get out of there already, will ya?" called out a nervous man dressed in bright colored clothing.  
  
Sam Beckett leaped up out of the Leader in a bright flash. Mike Donavon caught him just before he hit the ground. "Did it work?" he asked groggily.  
  
"Yep," answered Al. "Willie even told me that you even pronounced the 'Prete-na-ma' hello-goodbye-blessing thing right."  
  
Philip began to gently ease the Leader back down into the cryo gel, when the tyrant suddenly grabbed the edges on both sides of the sac.  
  
"What--How dare you…" The Leader looked around himself in a daze. "Where am I?"  
  
"You are about to take a long nap," answered Philip. "And trust me, it is the best thing that you will have ever done for your people."  
  
"Wha--My powers?"  
  
"Are being blocked," answered Elizabeth. Kyle stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders as a sign of support.  
  
"What are you going to do to me?"  
  
Philip regarded him for a moment. "We can't kill you, if that is what you are wondering. The last time our people thought you were dead, many of those that you had influenced began mass suicides. But we can't let you stay in leadership because you are a tyrant with no morals. That leaves imprisonment. However, if you are awake you would use your powers to free yourself, therefore we won't leave you awake."  
  
"You can't do this to me! I'm the Lea--"  
  
Philip grabbed hold of the Leader's head and brought it close to his own. "Of all the things I want to do to you, this is by far the kindest. You should know this, however. Elizabeth will be checking on you from time to time to see if you have changed your ways. If you haven't, then you stay inside. There is a time limit, though. If you haven't changed your nature in fifty years, you will simply die in your sleep because the gel won't last any longer than that."  
  
The Leader's eyes widened. "Philip, I treated you and your brother like you were my own sons."  
  
"And now my brother is dead!" He pushed the Leader's head back under the gel and held him there even though his own arms were becoming numb.  
  
Elizabeth knelt down next to Philip. "He's unconscious now. You can let him go."  
  
With a sobbing shudder, he released the Leader and pulled his gel-covered hands out of the sac. "It's amazing. I know all the wrong that he has done. Even heard some of it directly from him and yet I still have a difficult time working against him."  
  
Elizabeth nodded in understanding. "And now that he is gone, our people can start the healing process."  
  
"It won't be easy."  
  
"Few things are."  
  
*****  
  
THE RECEPTION AREA ON THE NEW YORK MOTHERSHIP  
  
The medical tricorder moved slowly up and down the face of Lt. James. Finally satisfied, the Starfleet doctor nodded to the two guards on either side of the shackled prisoner who then hauled him away.  
  
She examined the results on her tricorder for a moment then stored the information away. She looked over at the man she had previously examined. "And you say he reminded you of someone you knew as well.  
  
Paul Forrester nodded. "The man I knew with that face was called Bennu. He was the Phoenix. An ancient astronaut who had come to Earth thousands of years ago, but found that they were way too early to help man. Mankind was not ready culturally or scientifically to deal with the information the astronauts wanted to share with them. So he and another were placed in hibernation at separate locations to await a time when mankind was ready and then subtly lead them to the point where Humans could reach their full potential and travel to the stars on their own. Unfortunately, a problem occurred."  
  
Beverly, a romantic when she got the chance, was captivated by the story. "What happened?"  
  
"An archeological team found an ancient Peruvian Tomb with a coffin inside. When they opened Bennu's coffin, he was revived early and his instructions were erased."  
  
"So what did he do?"  
  
"He went to search for his partner, Mira, who is still in suspended animation and buried somewhere. The only thing that he was sure of was that she was buried above the 30th parallel and in one of the old Indian burial sites."  
  
"Did he ever find her?"  
  
"Not the last time I saw him, but that was about a month ago and he said he had a good clue as to her whereabouts."  
  
"Well that good. No wait a minute! That's not good at all. How will I ever find out how it turns out?"  
  
Paul just shrugged. "So, who does he remind you of?"  
  
"A historical figure named Joachim. He was the lieutenant of a madman named Khan Noonien Singh. They were part of a group of genetically engineered Humans who saw themselves as the masters of the world because they were stronger and smarter than regular Humans. They took over nations and fought among themselves, causing mankind to slip into a dark age. The regular Humans banded together and hunted down all those that were genetically engineered and killed them. Khan and his followers fled the Earth on an experimental sleeper ship called the S.S. Botany Bay. They were awakened hundreds of years later by Captain Kirk on his vessel, Enterprise-A. Kirk and Khan's crew fought twice. The second time they fought wasn't documented completely because of red tape but we do know that Khan and his followers are dead."  
  
"Interesting. Both Joachim and Bennu spent hundreds of years in suspended animation; one as he fled Earth, the other as he waited the right time to guide mankind to their rightful place among the stars." He paused to think about it. "Do you think there is a connection between the two?"  
  
"I don't know but I find it all so fascinating. When I get back home, I'm sure I'll put together a report or two explaining my theories on all these body doubles we have been coming across."  
  
"I wish you well on that."  
  
---  
  
Elsewhere in the reception area people were milling around trying to get to know each other and bond with their new allies. Visitors, mostly those that had been in the Fifth Column, mingled with some of Tyler's soldiers and those that had been released from their cryogenic sleep. One small group consisted of a number of Colonial Warriors sharing some drinks of Ambrosia with Vash and a few of their new Human friends. Apollo and Boxey traded battle stories while Vash, Al Calavicci and Boomer exchanged humorous suggestions as to Starbuck's sudden need to go to the Galactica. Jack O'Neill and General Hammond sampled the drinks sparingly as they followed the enigmatic time-lord's advice to carefully listen in on the conversation Adama was having.  
  
Adama looked over to see his son and grandson bonding together. To think that I was almost certain I would loss them both today, he thought.  
  
"I still say you're wrong in your translation."  
  
Adama frowned as he regarded the young man Apollo had introduced him to. At Apollo request, Adama had brought copies of the earliest Colonial writing for Daniel Jackson to look at. Now he was almost regretting it because of all the radical reinterpretation the young man was insisting on. Especially those commenting on when the Thirteenth Colony of Man left Kobol.  
  
"This is clearly [to]; not [from]. And this is definitely [forced]. They were [forced] [to] this Kobol place by these [gods]. A rebellion happened and they [blocked, took away, or disabled] the gods' [door to heaven]. [Door to the heavens]…? No, [star gate]. Yes, that word seems more accurate. The people on Kobol [disabled] the [stargate] to [escape] the [gods]." Daniel sneezed and took a moment to clean his glasses. "What do you know of this Kobol place?"  
  
"It is where we are from, all the people of the Thirteen Colonies. Caprica, Leo, Piscon, Gemoni, Canceria, Libra, Aeriana, Taura, Scorpio, Sagitara, Virgon, Aquaria and Earth," he stressed.  
  
Daniel, a young radical in the ancient languages circuit, was used to conflicting views so really wasn't bothered by Adama's rather insistent views. "So why did they leave this Kobol place?"  
  
Ever the diplomat, Adama began telling what he knew. "Kobol, sometimes called 'the Lost World of the Gods,' was a world of technological wonders, but our ancestors had taken it for granted and the planet was doomed. Ecological disasters caused by various forms of pollution made it impossible for my people to stay any longer. So they fled to the stars and formed the colonies."  
  
"Hmmm. I think I understand. If I am translating this correctly, it says that after they had [separated] from the [gods], the [people] or maybe the correct translation is [slaves], [took] [many] of the [secret] [treasures] of the [gods] for [themselves]. The [treasures] were both a [blessing] and a [curse] for the [people]." Daniel stared in wonder at the symbols in front of him. "If I'm right that could explain the evacuation of Kobol."  
  
Despite himself, Adama was curious. "How do you reach that conclusion?"  
  
"Well, think about it. If Kobol really started as a slave colony for these 'gods,' then once the slaves freed themselves, they helped themselves to the technology of their 'gods.' But being slaves, they probably didn't have the full understanding of the technology that they were trying to use. Thus accidents and ecological problems that shouldn't normally occur with a race so far advanced as the one you described happened, forcing them to abandon the planet. Their mistakes on Kobol most likely helped them to not make the same mistakes on those other planets you mentioned."  
  
Adama didn't like the rough hue that Daniel was painting of his ancestors but he couldn't find any fault in the theory. At least not at the moment. Despite himself and despite the headache that Daniel was giving him, he found himself liking the young man. "That doesn't you are right."  
  
"No. No, it doesn't. I'd need to do a lot more research to validate anything but it is fascinating." Daniel pointed to a picture on the paper. "What is this? It's not writing, at least not anything I am familiar with."  
  
Adama looked at the circular disk that Daniel was pointing to and his mouth went dry. "What do you think it is?"  
  
"Well, the writing around it seems to indicate it is this 'stargate' that the 'gods' used to go between the heavens. Personally, I was thinking that the 'stargate' was a spaceship or something."  
  
"What about a device that could make a portal? A portal from one place to another?"  
  
Daniel looked at the old man strangely. "Across galaxies? And you considered some of my ideas radical?"  
  
Adama held his hand up to get a moment to explain his thought. "There was a device we had on Caprica. It is said to have been brought from Kobol when the colonies left."  
  
"What did it do?"  
  
"We don't know. We had been told that it would only work on Kobol and that my ancestors didn't dare leave it behind because they feared that it would be used again."  
  
"Nothing more specific?"  
  
"Nothing. Evidently it was a taboo subject. I had some of our scientists on Caprica studying it and trying to determine its purpose but it wouldn't function for them."  
  
"Just because it wasn't on Kobol?"  
  
"That's what little the legends tell us."  
  
"Excuse me, gentlemen. But could I see this picture that you two are talking about?" General Hammond walked over and brought Jack O'Neill with him. "Ah, yes. I thought so."  
  
"Is this of some interest to you, general?" asked Adama.  
  
"I'm afraid it is. Could you two come with me? I'd like to show you a project I've been working on. I think you might find it fascinating." The general looked down at the small robot unit. "Okay, K-9. Take us to wherever you parked that cargo room."  
  
The little mechanical obediently took off, waving its antenna tail all the way.  
  
---  
  
Samantha Carter nodded to O'Neill as he walked by but returned back to her conversation. "Are you sure you want to do that? It's an awfully big step."  
  
Dr. Banner smiled and nodded. "It seems like the best thing to do at the time."  
  
"Well, since I can't convince you, I'm going to go see where the general and O'Neill are off to."  
  
"Um, Samantha. He's a little old for you and I think he's married."  
  
She sighed gloomily. "Yeah, he already told me. He did say I could baby-sit for him any time though." She laughed at the thought. "He said he didn't think his son could ever be in safer hands." She took a moment deep in thought. "It would be nice to do something simple again like babysitting. And going to church. And gardening."  
  
"Well, go tell him yes then."  
  
"Alright. Good luck. I'm out of here. Besides it looks like your reporter friend really wants to talk to you."  
  
Banner looked across the way passing various other groups. He groaned.  
  
"Can you spare a moment, doc?" asked Jack McGee.  
  
"I don't suppose 'no comment' would satisfy you?"  
  
"Ha! I hope that was a joke."  
  
Banner didn't bother to answer. "So what will you do now?"  
  
"You mean will I publish what I know?"  
  
Banner laughed. "I don't think whether or not you publish anything is really going to matter. Too many people saw my metamorphosis into the Hulk. My secret would get out now no matter what you do."  
  
"Then you don't mind if I write about it for a newspaper column? Possibly even a book?"  
  
"Go right ahead. I won't be around to be bothered by it."  
  
A cold chill went down McGee's spine. "What do you mean 'you won't be around'?"  
  
"No, not suicide." Banner pointed over to a group of people across the room. "You see the redhead woman in the blue and black spandex uniform."  
  
"The space traveling doctor from the future? Yeah, I met her. She's scanning everybody she can get near with that device of hers." At Banner's bemused expression, McGee explained. "I traded a quick interview with her for a scan of my body. Why? What about her?"  
  
"Well, she seemed very impressed with my persona's metabolism and when I mentioned to her my fears about not being left in peace now that my secret was out she offered to take me back to where she comes from."  
  
"You're going back with her to the future?"  
  
"A future in a parallel universe, yes. But it makes sense to me. She says they have done wonders in medicine and could possibly even cure me or at least hook me up with something to keep me from losing control." Banner leaned a little closer to the shocked news reporter. "And to tell you the truth, even if I didn't have this 'curse' on me, I'd probably go just to see all the technological advances they have made."  
  
McGee was dumbfounded. He didn't know what to say. "So…so you're leaving…and that's it?"  
  
"Yes. I'll be leaving as soon as everyone else does." He watched his old nemesis sulk for a moment. "But I suppose I have time for an interview before I go."  
  
"You do? You will?" McGee couldn't believe his luck. "But why?"  
  
"Mostly to get the story straight."  
  
"Yeah? Why else are you doing this?"  
  
"Partially in respect of an adversary who gave up everything to try discover the truth about me."  
  
"Thanks. Sorry about giving you such a hard time though." Jack's hands reflexively moved to his shirt pocket to retrieve a pen and notepad.  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
"I--I lost my note padd! I borrowed to Professor Hinkley, one of those island castaways, because he was working on a formula for something. Don't look at me like that! He promised me a interview of his experiences." He look around the room but could spot the Professor anywhere. "Wait for me! I'll be right back!" he said excitedly. "Does anyone have a pen and paper I could borrow? Or a tape recorder?"  
  
Banner laughed.  
  
---  
  
A commotion occurred as a skinny man in a red shirt and wearing a white sailor's cap chased after a fat orange cat with black stripes. The cat was leaping from table to table taking bites out of the various foods that presented itself. At least, he sampled the food on the Human tables. He seemed to avoid the Visitors.  
  
The cat made a quick hop unto another table. He was about to take a bite out of the plate full of lasagna next to him when he suddenly found he couldn't move.  
  
"Bad cat!" scolded Gilligan. He was out of breath chasing the cat who insisted on overeating. At his feet, the blonde dog was running around in circles due to all the excitement. "Sorry about all the trouble. I don't know what got into him."  
  
"Looks like too much food to me," joked Kyle. Elizabeth, Leela, Scott, B'Elanna, Hugo and Sam laughed at the fat cat's expense.  
  
"You're the one who captured Diana, right?" asked Elizabeth.  
  
Gilligan nodded in humble embarrassment. "Actually Garfield and I both did it," answered the skinny man as he pointed to the cat. "How come he isn't moving now?"  
  
Elizabeth smiled. "That would be my fault. Here. Let me hand him to you." She carefully used her powers to levitate the paralyzed cat over to Gilligan who took him in his arms while in a state of complete amazement. "And if you take this plate of lasagna with you for him to eat he shouldn't give you any problems for a while."  
  
"How do you know he likes lasagna?"  
  
She smiled. "I read his mind."  
  
"Wow! You can read minds! Can you tell what I'm thinking--"  
  
"Gilligan!" called out a loud voice that turned a number of heads. "Get over here and bring that cat and dog, too!"  
  
"Coming, Skipper!" Gilligan quickly said his good-byes and grabbed one of the plates of lasagna for Garfield. "C'mon Odie."  
  
"And he had to take my plate," commented Kyle as he shook his head. The others just laughed.  
  
---  
  
A couple of tables away Jenny was having a quiet moment with her husband when the man she most feared and despised came up to them. "Leave us alone!"  
  
George Fox looked from husband to wife as he tried to figure out what to say. "I just wanted to have a few words with you."  
  
Paul put a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. "Be brief."  
  
"Well, the…people here have given me more than enough evidence to bring back with me to prove that alien life exists. Mostly some small gadgets with amazing technology and metals and alloys that don't exist on Earth."  
  
"But you are getting this 'evidence' of yours from a parallel universe," pointed out Paul. "That technology may not even exist in our universe."  
  
"That's not the point. What matters is that alien life will be proven to exist."  
  
"And you will have been the one to have proved it. Makes me glad we're staying here in this universe," snorted Jenny.  
  
"You're what?"  
  
"We're – staying – here!" stated Jenny. "Where you and your government hounds can't wreck our lives anymore!"  
  
"You can't do that! You just got to come back! You just got to!"  
  
Paul shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid once your government friends get a hold of the 'evidence' that you have regarding extra-terrestrial life, we would be hunted down even more ruthlessly than before."  
  
"But you have nothing here!"  
  
"I can contribute. I've already made plans with Elizabeth to go with her and my son to see if together we somehow heal the damage done to Sirius IV. I have also already offered my services to her in helping to teach her in the use of her powers."  
  
"You know," the FSA man said, "I am not a bad guy. I am just doing what I feel necessary to protect my country and my world."  
  
Paul tightened his hand on his wife's shoulder to let her know that he would handle it. "But it is the effect of your actions that would cause innocents like my family and I to be locked away by your government. And then experiments would be performed on us against our will. Experiments of a very unethical nature."  
  
"You don't know that!"  
  
Jenny couldn't take it anymore. "Could you guarantee our freedom or even our safety if we returned with you?"  
  
Unable to answer, George Fox turned and walked away.  
  
Paul looked down into his wife's eyes. "I think you may have misjudged his full intentions, dear."  
  
"Maybe, but we're still staying here. At least here they don't seem to mind very much if you come from outer space."  
  
Paul just nodded. "I think I finally understand the old adage of not coming between a she-bear and her cubs."  
  
She looked him in the eye. "Are you calling me a bear?"  
  
Paul just laughed and kissed her.  
  
---  
  
Ham walked around the two lovebirds as he tried to find someone. Spotting her, he hurried past an older couple in expensive but thread worn clothes. He gave his apologies and kept walking even as the old man was berating him for being uncouth.  
  
Cassie was sitting at a table with two young male Visitors. Ham's nostrils flared briefly, but he managed to put on a grin and sat down across from the young woman.  
  
The conversation stopped for a moment as the two young Visitors sized up the new arrival. The peace between the Visitors and Humans was still new and many still needed to change their attitudes on a number of things. Ham wasn't bothered at all by any possible hostilities harbored against him since he was still jealously harboring a number of his own.  
  
"Just wanted to tell you that Chris is awake and says thanks."  
  
"That's good. I'll have to go see him after this and say hi to him myself." She turned to the two men with her. "Steve, Tim. I'd like you to meet Ham Tyler." She saw her friends' nervousness at the mention of the infamous Tyler so she thought she would be kind. "Would you two mind leaving us for a moment? Mr. Tyler and I need to talk."  
  
As the two young Visitors hurried to leave, Ham chuckled softly. "So what do you want to talk about?"  
  
"Nothing, really. So what are your plans now? You are a fighter. Now that the fighting is over what are you going to do?"  
  
"Oh, there's always trouble somewhere." He looked at her plate, which turned out to be a clear flat box with air holes in the top. And two white mice aimlessly searching for a way out. He grimaced at the thought of her eating.  
  
"Something wrong, Mr. Tyler?"  
  
"Ah, no. Not really. And please call me Ham."  
  
"Okay…Ham."  
  
---  
  
"I wonder what they are talking about?" asked Willie rhetorically.  
  
"Does it really matter? We have plans to make. Now since we are having the wedding on Earth, should we wait for my family to come to Earth for the ceremony or should we just have the ceremony and send them a video feed of it?" asked Thelma,  
  
Willie didn't even take his eyes off of Ham and Cassie. "We'll send them a video feed."  
  
"Really? Then…you don't like my family?"  
  
"What? Why do you think that?"  
  
"Well why else wouldn't you want my family at our ceremony?"  
  
"It's—it's just that I didn't want to put off the ceremony any longer than we have to. We have already waited a long time."  
  
She considered that for a moment. "I suppose that is something to consider."  
  
Willie breathed a sigh of relief. These wedding plans were starting to get to him. It was starting to become a nightmare. He changed the subject out of necessity. "Do you think Tyler is asking her out?"  
  
"Why would you think that?" she asked now rather curious herself. "Isn't that Hugo's sister that he is with?"  
  
"I don't know who Hugo or his sister are. But I did hear that Tyler likes toxic women."  
  
"'Toxic'?"  
  
"Um, wrong word. Um, exotic?" he looked at her hopefully.  
  
"Sounds right. Uh, exotic in what way? Not kinky, I hope."  
  
"No. His wife was Vietnamese. He met her while he was fighting in Vietnam."  
  
"That doesn't exactly mean he likes exotic women. Wait a minute! He's married?"  
  
"No. He's a fiddler," explained Willie.  
  
"You mean he's a widower." She was used to his word slipups by now and just automatically corrected him. "Oh, that is sad."  
  
Willie nodded.  
  
"So wouldn't it be a good thing if he likes Cassie?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe."  
  
"You are not prejudice, are you?"  
  
"No! Most of my closest friends are Human!"  
  
"A purest maybe? No wanting one species mixing with the other?"  
  
"How can you think that? Elizabeth is both Visitor and Human. And I have been a father or an uncle to her. And even if Philip is now her guardian--" He stopped and just fumed for a moment.  
  
"Ah, so your distraction really has nothing to do with either Tyler or Cassie, does it? It is the 'wontu' matter." Thelma leaned a little closer to Willie. She had had no idea that Willie was so close to the starchild. "You have seen yourself as her wontu – her second father or guardian – and now Philip has supplanted you."  
  
Willie said nothing and stared into his vegetable shake.  
  
Thelma leaned even closer to try get eye contact. "I'm sure in her heart Elizabeth sees you as her wontu and maybe even an uncle."  
  
Willie broke out in a smile. "You're right. It's nothing to get upset about."  
  
The two suddenly noticed that they had another person at their table. Ham Tyler sat there grinning at them.  
  
"Uh, Ham." Willie struggled to find something to say. "This is Thelma. We are to be mates."  
  
Tyler just chuckled at Willie's obvious slip with words. Thelma was torn between embarrassment and fright at the very near presence of 'the Fixer'. "Sounds good. Listen, Cassie and I are putting together a group to go see the sunrise on Earth. Would you two want to go?"  
  
---  
  
"Look, I'm not saying that it is impossible. I just think it is going to take awhile before the people of Earth get used to peaceful relations with the Visitors again. And even longer before Earth lets Visitors start to live here in large numbers." Julie saw Mike's determined face but she pressed on with her thoughts. "As it is, we are going to have to somehow prove the validity of our long lost relatives from the Twelve Colonies. Mankind was fooled last time by the Visitors, they are going to be very sure of themselves before they open their arms in welcome a second time."  
  
"We have the battle that was fought today! That had to have been watched all the way from Earth."  
  
"Mike, I'm just saying that these kinds of things are what we can expect to oppose us."  
  
"And what do we have to look forward to? Give me pros and cons."  
  
Julie folded her arms and leaned back against a pillar. "First we gain strong allies in the Colonists; even if they do have some powerful enemies of their own. Second, we have the chance of a new and better relationship with the Visitors; but we still have to sort some of those Visitors who still want to fight Humans. Third, we have a moment of peace on Earth because every nation and race has joined together against the Visitors; but we also have a long and tiring rebuilding program. Then there will be the relocation programs to set up for people trying to find lost loved ones and trying to identify dead bodies."  
  
"Got anything more positive to look forward to?"  
  
She looked down for a moment feeling vulnerable. "Marriage?"  
  
Mike froze. When they had forced the Visitors off Earth almost three years ago, Mike and Julie drifted apart. Once the Visitors returned, Mike and Julie restarted the Resistance movement again. Being in close quarters constantly and fighting side-by-side, they slowly rekindled their romance. Now peace was returning and Mike couldn't help wondering if their relationship was in danger again. He would go to his career as a news cameraman and she would return to hers as a scientist. "I suppose I could always just work at a local network."  
  
"Is that a yes?"  
  
"If you will have me?"  
  
They were still kissing by the time Cassie came to ask them to if they wanted to go see a sunrise.  
  
---  
  
Harry Kim sat sulkily as he sipped his drink.  
  
B'Elanna sat down next to her friend. "Why so glum?"  
  
"It's this whole celebration. People as congratulating me everywhere I go."  
  
"And that's a bad thing? Boy, and Tom thought I was a party pooper."  
  
"It's just that we didn't do hardly anything against the Borg except for the last few minutes! And even then the people here were able to hold the Borg off without our help! I thought that that was why we had to come all this way! To save these people because they couldn't save themselves."  
  
"Do you really think they were totally incapable of saving themselves?"  
  
Both B'Elanna and Harry looked up in surprise at the tired yet determined figure of Kai Wynn.  
  
"Well, not exactly."  
  
"Let me tell you something from experience," said the Kai. "When it comes to a peoples' home, they will find the strength regardless of the superiority of the enemy or how long it takes or even what it may cost them." She regarded Harry more closely. "Did you think the people here would just wait for someone to come and rescue them? Of course not! And on all the other parallel worlds that have been invaded by the Borg, do you think that the people there are fighting off the Borg? Of course they are!"  
  
"Kai, why are you here?" asked B'Elanna in an attempt to deviate the Bajoran's attention.  
  
Kai Wynn made a disgusted face. "That Q being is insisting that we leave. But that Crusher woman wants us all to formally say goodbye first."  
  
Harry jumped up from his seat. "I'm all for that!"  
  
"What's your hurry?" asked B'Elanna.  
  
"I still haven't been able to call my parents. They weren't home when I tried before for some reason."  
  
"Well, let's get you home then," B'Elanna replied. "I think they have waited long enough for you to phone home."  
  
*****  
  
Author's Notes  
  
Special thanks to Jen for proofreading and working out all the misspellings, misplaced words and various grammatical errors. She makes it all that much easier to read.  
  
Special thanks to AlbertG and Phantom Dennis for providing me with information and insight on various things. It made a world of difference.  
  
Correction: Major Kira Nerys is actually Colonel Kira Nerys as of the time I started my story. Sorry for any confusion.  
  
*****  
  
List of Characters in this section  
  
STAR TREK:  
  
Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) – Medical doctor on the starship Enterprise  
  
Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) – A lady archeologist who would go from planet to planet usually searching through sites in which she wasn't allowed. Also a brief love interest for Captain Picard and also Q  
  
Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) – Second in Command on the spacestation Deep Space Nine  
  
Kai Wynn (Louise Fletcher) – The religious leader to the Bajoran people  
  
B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Biggs-Dawson) – Chief Engineer on the starship Voyager  
  
Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) – Communication Officer on the starship Voyager  
  
  
  
DOCTOR WHO:  
  
The Doctor (Tom Baker) – The fourth Doctor in the series. He is a time lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space  
  
Leela (Louise Jameson) – A warrior from a primitive tribe on another world descended from stranded astronauts  
  
K-9 (Voice of K-9 done by John Leeson) – A small dog shaped robot that has a very sophisticated computer, sensory, and weapons systems  
  
  
  
V- THE SERIES:  
  
Mike Donovan (Marc Singer) – Former news cameraman who quickly became one of the main targets for the Visitors  
  
Julie Parrish (Faye Grant) – A young biomedical student who became one of the leaders of the L.A. Resistance  
  
Kyle Bates (Jeff Yagher) – Became a member of the Resistance but often at odds with those around him. He is also the boyfriend of Elizabeth  
  
Elizabeth (Jennifer Cooke) – The first and only crossbred between the Visitors and Humans, also known as the 'star child'. She has a variety of powers but is still inexperienced with them  
  
Willie (Robert Englund) – A Visitor technician that managed to join the Human Resistance. He is well known for getting his words mixed-up  
  
Thelma (Marilyn Jones) – Willie's fiancée‚ with who he had just been reunited  
  
Philip (Frank Ashmore) – One of those high in command on the mothership, Philip also became a secret member of the Fifth Column, those Visitors opposed to the fighting against the Humans. He also became a contact between the Fifth Column and the Human Resistance  
  
Diana (Jane Badler) – Think evil, manipulative, intelligent, and power hungry.  
  
Lt. James (Judson Scott) – Diana's right hand man  
  
Lydia (June Chadwick) – Diana's rival for power  
  
The Leader (never shown) – Just arrived to Earth, the Leader is a sadistic tyrant that has used his mental abilities to make his people love and follow him  
  
Ham Tyler (Michael Ironside) – An ex-CIA agent who had long supported the L.A. Resistance  
  
Chris Faber (Mickey Jones) – Long time partner of Ham Tyler  
  
  
  
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA:  
  
Commander Adama (Lorne Greene) – Leader of the Twelve Colonies of Man and hopes to bring them to the legendary Thirteenth Colony on Earth  
  
Capt. Apollo (Richard Hatch) – Leader of the Vipers, the fighter pilots that protect the last of the Twelve Colonies of Man  
  
Lt. Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) – Friend of Apollo's and fellow Warrior. Also a gambler and girl chaser  
  
Boomer (Herb Jefferson Jr.) – Friend of Apollo's and fellow Warrior  
  
Boxey (Noah Hathaway) – Apollo's adopted son and a young recruit of the Viper squads  
  
Sheba (Anne Lockhart) – The current second in command on the Galactica  
  
Bojay (Jack Stauffer) – A former warrior who is now the commander on the Pegasus  
  
Jolly (Tony Swartz) – A former warrior who is now second in command on the Pegasus  
  
  
  
STARMAN:  
  
Paul Forrester (Robert Hays) – An alien on the run from the government who just wants to be with his family. Both times that he came to Earth he cloned himself a Human body so that he could survive the environment. He also has powers  
  
Scott Hayden (C.B. Barnes) – The son of Paul Forrester and Jenny Hayden. He is still a teenager and just learning how to use his powers  
  
Jenny Hayden (Erin Gray) – A Human who bore a child with an alien and has been on the run ever since from the government  
  
George Fox (Michael Cavanaugh) – A federal agent who is determined to prove himself by bringing in the 'starman'  
  
  
  
QUANTUM LEAP:  
  
Dr. Samuel Beckett (Scott Bakula) – A time traveler who had gotten stuck in his new project traveling through time and found that in order to possibly get home he would have to change certain past events in peoples lives  
  
Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell) – A friend of Sam's who helped give him information and advice while appearing to him as a hologram  
  
  
  
STARGATE – SG-1:  
  
*Alternate universe before the stargate was ever used and before any of the characters ever met.  
  
Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) – A LA college student who joined the Resistance and using his language skills to create unbreakable codes. Once he was caught, Diana was willing to try breaking him to get his codes deciphered  
  
Gen. George Hammond (Don S. Davis) – In charge of the United States military operations in the southwest against the Visitor invasion, Hammond became a challenge to the Visitors until he was captured specifically for Diana.  
  
Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) – A young captain with a wife and baby boy at home, Jack had been given the responsibility of transporting supplies out of Chicago to the military zones  
  
Capt. Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) – An eighteen-year-old young woman who joined the military with her friends to help fight the Visitors  
  
  
  
1.4 THE INCREDIBLE HULK  
  
*Alternate Universe since I am having it take place in the same universe as the V and Battlestar Galactica storylines. Everything happens according to the Hulk TV series and then the Visitors show up.  
  
Dr. David Bruce Banner (Bill Bixby) / The Hulk (Lou Ferrigno) – Dr. Banner was trying to use gamma radiation as a means of tapping super-strength and healing abilities that he thought lay dormant in all mankind. Something went wrong with his experiment and the Hulk was born. Unfortunately, the Hulk was also blamed for Banner's death. He travels alone as a drifter trying to find a cure and usually helps others along the way. Currently, Ham dragged him and another of other doctors against their will out of a hospital in order to try free people from the cryogenic chambers in the mothership  
  
Jack McGee (Jack Colvin) – A news reporter for the National Register, Jack was the first to see the Hulk. Ever since he had been trying to prove the Hulk's existence despite the obstacles. However, once the Visitors came and their true intentions were revealed, Jack joined the Freedom Network to help spread good news of the Resistances fights against the Visitors to encourage the Human race.  
  
*****  
  
1.5 GILLIGAN'S ISLAND  
  
Willy Gilligan (Bob Denver)  
  
Skipper/Jonas Grumby (Alan Hale Jr.)  
  
Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus)  
  
Lovey/Eunice Wentworth Howell (Natalie Schafer)  
  
Ginger Grant (Tina Louise)  
  
Professor Roy Hinkley (Russell Johnson)  
  
Mary Ann Summers (Dawn Wells) 


End file.
